confine

Confine is all about setting limits. If you are confined to the house, it means you can't leave it. If you're really sick, you might be confined to your bed.

Confine can be used abstractly as well. In writing a term paper, your teacher might tell you to confine your examples to ones that you can support with direct evidence. In the 19th century, pregnancy and childbirth were often referred to as a woman's confinement—a time when she couldn't get up or out.

Definitions of confine
  1. verb
    place limits on (extent or access)
    synonyms: bound, limit, restrain, restrict, throttle, trammel
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    types:
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    reduce, tighten
    narrow or limit
    tie
    limit or restrict to
    gate
    restrict (school boys') movement to the dormitory or campus as a means of punishment
    draw a line, draw the line
    reasonably object (to) or set a limit (on)
    mark off, mark out
    set boundaries to and delimit
    harness, rein, rule
    keep in check
    baffle, regulate
    check the emission of (sound)
    cramp, halter, hamper, strangle
    prevent the progress or free movement of
    constrain, stiffen, tighten, tighten up
    restrict
    clamp down, crack down
    repress or suppress (something regarded as undesirable)
    constrict, inhibit
    limit the range or extent of
    constrain, cumber, encumber, restrain
    hold back
    bridle
    put a bridle on
    curb
    keep to the curb
    clog
    impede the motion of, as with a chain or a burden
    type of:
    check, contain, control, curb, hold, hold in, moderate
    lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits
  2. verb
    restrict or confine, "I limit you to two visits to the pub a day"
    synonyms: circumscribe, limit
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    types:
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    hold down
    restrain
    keep down, number
    place a limit on the number of
    cap
    restrict the number or amount of
    curb, curtail, cut back, restrict
    place restrictions on
    delimit, delimitate, demarcate
    set, mark, or draw the boundaries of something
    content
    satisfy in a limited way
    ration
    restrict the consumption of a relatively scarce commodity, as during war
    abridge
    lessen, diminish, or curtail
    immobilise, immobilize
    cause to be unable to move
    type of:
    decrease, lessen, minify
    make smaller
  3. verb
    deprive of freedom; take into confinement
    synonyms: detain
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    Antonyms:
    free, liberate, loose, release, unloose, unloosen
    grant freedom to; free from confinement
    types:
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    keep
    hold and prevent from leaving
    straiten
    squeeze together
    gaol, immure, imprison, incarcerate, jail, jug, lag, put away, put behind bars, remand
    lock up or confine, in or as in a jail
    intern
    deprive of freedom
    bind over
    order a defendant to be placed in custody pending the outcome of a proceedings against him or her
    imprison
    confine as if in a prison
    cage, cage in
    confine in a cage
    pin down, trap
    place in a confining or embarrassing position
    keep in
    cause to stay indoors
  4. verb
    to close within bounds, limit or hold back from movement
    synonyms: hold, restrain
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    types:
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    bind, tie down, tie up, truss
    secure with or as if with ropes
    fetter, shackle
    restrain with fetters
    enchain
    restrain or bind with chains
    pinion, shackle
    bind the arms of
    impound, pound
    place or shut up in a pound
    pound, pound up
    shut up or confine in any enclosure or within any bounds or limits
    fold, pen up
    confine in a fold, like sheep
    ground
    confine or restrict to the ground
    chain up
    tie up with chains
    faggot, faggot up, fagot
    bind or tie up in or as if in a faggot
    faggot, fagot
    fasten together rods of iron in order to heat or weld them
    hog-tie
    tie together somebody's limbs
    cuff, handcuff, manacle
    confine or restrain with or as if with manacles or handcuffs
    type of:
    disable, disenable, incapacitate
    make unable to perform a certain action
  5. verb
    prevent from leaving or from being removed
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    types:
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    cabin
    confine to a small space, such as a cabin
    closet
    confine to a small space, as for intensive work
    coop in, coop up
    confine in or as if in a coop
    lock, lock away, lock in, lock up, put away, shut away, shut up
    place in a place where something cannot be removed or someone cannot escape
    lock in, seal in
    close with or as if with a tight seal
    type of:
    hold back, keep, keep back, restrain
    keep under control; keep in check
  6. verb
    close in; "darkness confined him"
    synonyms: enclose, hold in
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    types:
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    border, bound
    form the boundary of; be contiguous to
    embank
    enclose with banks, as for support or protection
    rail, rail in
    enclose with rails
    box in, box up
    enclose or confine as if in a box
    frame
    enclose in a frame, as of a picture
    skirt
    form the edge of
    verge
    border on; come close to
    shore
    serve as a shore to
    type of:
    bear, carry, contain, hold
    contain or hold; have within
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