CONFINE


Meaning of CONFINE in English

(~s confining, ~d)

1.

To ~ something to a particular place or group means to prevent it from spreading beyond that place or group.

Health officials have successfully ~d the epidemic to the Tabatinga area...

The US will soon be taking steps to ~ the conflict.

= restrict

VERB: V n to n, V n

2.

If you ~ yourself or your activities to something, you do only that thing and are involved with nothing else.

He did not ~ himself to the one language...

His genius was not ~d to the decoration of buildings.

= limit, restrict

VERB: V pron-refl to n, V-ed

3.

If someone is ~d to a mental institution, prison, or other place, they are sent there and are not allowed to leave for a period of time.

The woman will be ~d to a mental institution...

VERB: usu passive, be V-ed to n

4.

Something that is within the ~s of an area or place is within the boundaries enclosing it. (FORMAL)

The movie is set entirely within the ~s of the abandoned factory.

N-PLURAL: usu prep the N of n

5.

The ~s of a situation, system, or activity are the limits or restrictions it involves.

...away from the ~s of the British class system...

I can’t stand the ~s of this marriage.

= constraints

N-PLURAL: usu the N of n

Collins COBUILD.      Толковый словарь английского языка для изучающих язык Коллинз COBUILD (международная база данных языков Бирмингемского университета) .