forbidden fruit

[ fer-bid-n froot, fawr-bid-n ]

noun

1. (in the Bible) the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, tasted by Adam and Eve against God's prohibition.
2. any unlawful pleasure, especially illicit sexual indulgence.
3. pomelo ( def 1 ).

forbidden fruit

noun

1. any pleasure or enjoyment regarded as illicit, esp sexual indulgence

forbidden fruit

1. The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden , often pictured as an apple, which God forbade Adam and Eve to eat. Their disobedience brought about the Fall of Man .

Notes

“Forbidden fruit” is used commonly to refer to anything that is tempting but potentially dangerous. It is often associated with sexuality.

Word History and Origins

Origin of forbidden fruit¹

First recorded in 1660–70

Idioms and Phrases

Unlawful pleasure or enjoyment; illicit love. For example, After Mary moved in with John, Tom began courting her—forbidden fruit is sweet, I guess , or Smoking behind the woodshed, that's a case of forbidden fruit . This expression alludes to Adam and Eve's violation of God's commandment not to touch fruit from the tree of knowledge, which resulted in their expulsion from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:6). In the form forbidden fruit is sweet it appeared in numerous early English proverb collections.

Example Sentences

Clapton, who’s repeatedly spoken of having longed to join the Band, played sharp blues guitar in Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Farther Up the Road,” which he performed in “The Last Waltz”; at the Forum he also offered up crisp renditions of the Band’s “The Shape I’m In,” “Chest Fever” and “Forbidden Fruit.”

From Los Angeles Times

It may be that the thought of breaking up with the offending food turns it into forbidden fruit, which makes you want it even more.

From Seattle Times

This may be due to a "forbidden fruit" effect, which could make potentially aversive material more tempting to viewers.

From Science Daily

Many biblical scholars assert Eve tempted Adam with the forbidden fruit on a Friday.

From DOGO News

Emily Polson, Etter’s editor on “Ripe,” saw this quality in the manuscript right away: “It felt like stumbling upon Eden’s forbidden fruit: a key to unlocking language I didn’t have to describe those dark nights of the soul but also the tender moments of love and desire that help us survive them.”

From Los Angeles Times