Obs. Forms: 3 bandun, baundune, 3–5 bandom, 3–7 bandon, 4 baundoun, 4–5 baundon, 4–6 bandoun(e, 5 bandum, 5–6 bandone. [a. OF. bandon, bandun ‘public proclamation, ban, jurisdiction, authority, disposal, discretion, license’ = Pr. bandon, f. (through a deriv. form *bando -ōnem) late L. band-um = bann-um ‘public proclamation, edict, interdict,’ ad. Teut. bann: see BAN sb.1 There was a confusion in Romanic between bannum and bandum: Du Cange shows bannum for bandum, BANNER, as well as bandum for bannum ‘edict’; cf. BANISH, BANDIT, BANNER, BANDEROLE. (There is no etymological connection in Teutonic between bann, bann-an, and bandwa token, bandwjan to signify.)]
Jurisdiction, authority, dominion, control; power of disposal, full discretion, or authority to deal with. To be in or at any one’s bandon: to be under his control, at his disposal, will or pleasure. To have a thing in one’s bandon: at one’s full or free disposal.
c. 1230. Ancr. R., 338. Þe terme is ine Godes honden: and nout i þine baundune [earlier MS. bandun].
a. 1300. Cursor M., 9013. Þe man sco has in hir bandom.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 3180. The emperour, and his barouns, Yeildith heom to thy baundouns.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, XI. 1376. I thocht haiff maid Ingland at his bandoun.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, E vij. The kyng … gafe hym baundon ouer all the goodes.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., III. 181. Wnder his bandoun think I neuir to be.
1611. Cotgr., Abandon, bandon … full libertie for others to use a thing.
Hence the F. and ME. phr. a bando(u)n, in control, at one’s disposal; also, at one’s own free will, freely, unrestrainedly; whence the vb. abandonn-er = mettre à bandon: see ABANDON.
