I. ˈkän-ˌfīn also kən-ˈ noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French confines, plural, from Latin confine border, from neuter of confinis adjacent, from com- + finis end
Date: 15th century
1. plural
a. : something (as borders or walls) that encloses
outside the confine s of the office or hospital — W. A. Nolen
also : something that restrains
escape from the confine s of soot and clutter — E. S. Muskie
b. : scope 3
work within the confine s of a small group — Frank Newman
2.
a. archaic : restriction
b. obsolete : prison
II. kən-ˈfīn verb
( con·fined ; con·fin·ing )
Date: 1523
intransitive verb
archaic : border
transitive verb
1.
a. : to hold within a location
b. : imprison
2. : to keep within limits
will confine my remarks to one subject
Synonyms: see limit
• con·fin·er noun