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

OTHER WORDS FROM confine

Example sentences from the Web for confine

British Dictionary definitions for confine

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