constipate
[ kon-stuh-peyt ]
/ ˈkɒn stəˌpeɪt /
verb (used with object), con·sti·pat·ed, con·sti·pat·ing.
to cause constipation in; make costive.
Informal.
to cause to become slow-moving or immobilized; restrict the action or effectiveness of: Bureaucratic red tape can constipate the operations of any government agency.
Obsolete.
to crowd or pack closely together.
Origin of constipate
1375–1425; late Middle English (past participle) < Latin
constīpātus (past participle of
constīpāre), equivalent to
con-
con- +
stīpā- (stem of
stīpāre to crowd, press) +
-tus past participle suffix
OTHER WORDS FROM constipate
un·con·sti·pat·ed, adjectiveWords nearby constipate
Example sentences from the Web for constipating
British Dictionary definitions for constipating
constipate
/ (ˈkɒnstɪˌpeɪt) /
verb
(tr)
to cause constipation in
Word Origin for constipate
C16: from Latin
constīpāre to press closely together, from
stīpāre to crowd together
Medical definitions for constipating
constipate
[ kŏn′stə-pāt′ ]
v.
To cause constipation in the bowels.