limit

[ lim-it ]

/ ˈlɪm ɪt /

noun

the final, utmost, or furthest boundary or point as to extent, amount, continuance, procedure, etc.: the limit of his experience; the limit of vision.

a boundary or bound, as of a country, area, or district.

Mathematics.

a number such that the value of a given function remains arbitrarily close to this number when the independent variable is sufficiently close to a specified point or is sufficiently large. The limit of 1/x is zero as x approaches infinity; the limit of (x − 1)2 is zero as x approaches 1.
a number such that the absolute value of the difference between terms of a given sequence and the number approaches zero as the index of the terms increases to infinity.
one of two numbers affixed to the integration symbol for a definite integral, indicating the interval or region over which the integration is taking place and substituted in a primitive, if one exists, to evaluate the integral.

limits, the premises or region enclosed within boundaries: We found them on school limits after hours.

Games. the maximum sum by which a bet may be raised at any one time.

the limit, Informal. something or someone that exasperates, delights, etc., to an extreme degree: You have made errors before, but this is the limit.

verb (used with object)

to restrict by or as if by establishing limits (usually followed by to): Please limit answers to 25 words.

to confine or keep within limits: to limit expenditures.

Law. to fix or assign definitely or specifically.

Origin of limit

1325–75; Middle English lymyt < Latin līmit- (stem of līmes) boundary, path between fields

SYNONYMS FOR limit

2 confine, frontier, border.

8 restrain, bound.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR limit ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM limit

lim·it·a·ble, adjective lim·it·a·ble·ness, noun o·ver·lim·it, verb (used with object) re·lim·it, verb (used with object)

un·der·lim·it, noun un·der·lim·it, verb (used with object)

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH limit

boundary limit parameter variable (see synonym study at boundary) (see usage note at parameter) limit limitation

Words nearby limit

limey, limicoline, limicolous, liminal, liminality, limit, limit dextrin, limit dextrinase, limit man, limit of proportionality, limit of resolution

Example sentences from the Web for limit

Environmentalists today generally prefer to limit roads and block new water projects, even in parched California.

Time to Bring Back the Truman Democrats |Joel Kotkin |December 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The argument now is how to limit certain types of plays that banks can make under certain circumstances.

How Naive is Elizabeth Warren? |Nick Gillespie |December 18, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The foremost trendsetter of Scandi-sleek design and New Nordic food knows no limit to its progressive reputation.

The Ultimate LGBT Travel Bucket List | |December 12, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The sky is not the limit; beliefs still must be sincere and connected to some for-real source.

In Florida, ’Tis The Season for Satan |Jay Michaelson |December 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

Like boxers, every missile has a reach, a range, a limit to how far it can hit.

Pentagon Worries That Russia Can Now Outshoot U.S. Stealth Jets |Dave Majumdar |December 4, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
To such a policy there was no limit in national conscience, any more than in his.

The Evolution of States |J. M. Robertson
For her ears had been closed against the band, and she had forgotten the limit she had mentally put to her indecision.

In the Wilderness |Robert Hichens
On the night of the dance he had barely kept within the limit of decent behavior.

Lonesome Land |B. M. Bower
No limit: it is one of the affectations of architects to speak of overcharged ornament.

The Seven Lamps of Architecture |John Ruskin
Seventy or seventy-five thousand dollars, besides your house and barn money, shall be my limit.

The Fat of the Land |John Williams Streeter

British Dictionary definitions for limit

limit

/ (ˈlɪmɪt) /

noun

(sometimes plural) the ultimate extent, degree, or amount of something the limit of endurance

(often plural) the boundary or edge of a specific area the city limits

(often plural) the area of premises within specific boundaries

the largest quantity or amount allowed

maths

a value to which a function f(x) approaches as closely as desired as the independent variable approaches a specified value (x = a) or approaches infinity
a value to which a sequence a n approaches arbitrarily close as n approaches infinity
the limit of a sequence of partial sums of a convergent infinite seriesthe limit of 1 + ½ + ¼ + ⅛ + … is 2

maths one of the two specified values between which a definite integral is evaluated

the limit informal a person or thing that is intolerably exasperating

off limits

out of bounds
forbidden to do or usesmoking was off limits everywhere

within limits to a certain or limited extent I approve of it within limits

verb -its, -iting or -ited (tr)

to restrict or confine, as to area, extent, time, etc

law to agree, fix, or assign specifically

Derived forms of limit

limitable, adjective limitableness, noun limitless, adjective limitlessly, adverb

limitlessness, noun

Word Origin for limit

C14: from Latin līmes boundary

Medical definitions for limit

limit

[ lĭm′ĭt ]

n.

The point, edge, or line beyond which something cannot or may not proceed.

A confining or restricting object, agent, or influence.

The greatest or least amount, number, or extent allowed or possible.

v.

To confine or restrict within a boundary or bounds.

To fix definitely; to specify.

Other words from limit

lim′it•a•ble adj.

Scientific definitions for limit

limit

[ lĭm′ĭt ]

A number or point for which, from a given set of numbers or points, one can choose an arbitrarily close number or point. For example, for the set of all real numbers greater than zero and less than one, the numbers one and zero are limit points, since one can pick a number from the set arbitrarily close to one or zero (even though one and zero are not themselves in the set). Limits form the basis for calculus, where a number L is defined to be the limit approached by a function f(x) as x approaches a if, for every positive number ε, there exists a number δ such that |;f(x)-L|; < ε if 0 < |;x-a|; < δ.

Idioms and Phrases with limit

limit

see go whole hog (the limit); sky's the limit; the limit.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

limit

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of limit

SYNONYMS FOR limit

OTHER WORDS FROM limit

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH limit

Words nearby limit

Example sentences from the Web for limit

British Dictionary definitions for limit

noun

verb -its, -iting or -ited (tr)

Derived forms of limit

Word Origin for limit

Medical definitions for limit

n.

v.

Other words from limit

Scientific definitions for limit

Idioms and Phrases with limit

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

limit

noun

verb (used with object)

Origin of limit

SYNONYMS FOR limit

OTHER WORDS FROM limit

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH limit

Words nearby limit

Words related to limit

Example sentences from the Web for limit

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for limit

noun

verb -its, -iting or -ited (tr)

Derived forms of limit

Word Origin for limit

Medical definitions for limit

n.

v.

Other words from limit

Scientific definitions for limit

Idioms and Phrases with limit

British Dictionary definitions for limit