confine

[ kuhn-fahyn for 1, 2, 5, 6; kon-fahyn for 3, 4 ]
/ kənˈfaɪn for 1, 2, 5, 6; ˈkɒn faɪn for 3, 4 /

verb (used with object), con·fined, con·fin·ing.

to enclose within bounds; limit or restrict: She confined her remarks to errors in the report. Confine your efforts to finishing the book.
to shut or keep in; prevent from leaving a place because of imprisonment, illness, discipline, etc.: For that offense he was confined to quarters for 30 days.

noun

Usually confines. a boundary or bound; limit; border; frontier.
Often confines. region; territory.
Archaic. confinement.
Obsolete. a place of confinement; prison.

Origin of confine

1350–1400 for noun; 1515–25 for v.; (noun) Middle English < Middle French confins, confines < Medieval Latin confinia, plural of Latin confinis boundary, border (see con-, fine2); (v.) < Middle French confiner, verbal derivative of confins < Latin, as above

SYNONYMS FOR confine

1 circumscribe.

ANTONYMS FOR confine

1, 2 free.

OTHER WORDS FROM confine

Words nearby confine

confiding, configurate, configuration, configurationism, configure, confine, confined, confinee, confinement, confirm, confirmand

British Dictionary definitions for confinable

confine

verb (kənˈfaɪn) (tr)

to keep or close within bounds; limit; restrict
to keep shut in; restrict the free movement of arthritis confined him to bed

noun (ˈkɒnfaɪn)

(often plural) a limit; boundary

Derived forms of confine

confinable or confineable, adjective confineless, adjective confiner, noun

Word Origin for confine

C16: from Medieval Latin confīnāre from Latin confīnis adjacent, from fīnis end, boundary