Out of curiousity, I looked up the etymology of "proscribe" and found this:

Middle English proscriben, from Latin prôscrîbere, to put up someone's name as outlawed : prô-, in front; see pro–1 + scrîbere, to write.]

I'm not sure I understand the connection between "front writing" and placing criminal status upon someone's name. Am I missing something??

I got even more confused when I looked up "prescribe" and saw the legal definition:

"Law
To assert a right or title to something on the grounds of prescription.
To become invalidated or unenforceable by the process of prescription."

So, in prescribing something you effectively make it invalid? I don't get it . Perhaps sparteye or one of the other legal eagles can give us an example.