Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense confines, present participle confining, past tense, past participle confinedpronunciation note: The verb is pronounced (kənfaɪn). The noun confines is pronounced (kɒnfaɪnz).
1. verb
To confine something to a particular place or group means to prevent it from spreading beyond that place or group.
Health officials have successfully confined the epidemic to the Tabatinga area. [VERB noun + to]
The U.S. will soon be taking steps to confine the conflict. [VERB noun]
2. verb
If you confineyourself or your activities to something, you do only that thing and are involved with nothing else.
He did not confine himself to the one language. [VERB pronoun-reflexive + to]
Yoko had largely confined her activities to the world of big business. [VERB noun to noun]
His genius was not confined to the decoration of buildings. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: restrict, limit More Synonyms of confine
3. verb [usually passive]
If someone is confined 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 confined to a mental institution. [beVERB-ed + to]
He announced that the army and police had been confined to barracks. [beV-ed to n]
4. plural noun
Something that is within the confinesof an area or place is within the boundaries enclosing it.
[formal]
The movie is set entirely within the confines of the abandoned factory. [+ of]
...the wild grass and weeds that grew in the confines of the grandstand.
5. plural noun
The confinesof a situation, system, or activity are the limits or restrictions it involves.
...away from the confines of the British class system. [+ of]
I can't stand the confines of this marriage. [+ of]
More Synonyms of confine
confine in British English
verb (kənˈfaɪn)(transitive)
1.
to keep or close within bounds; limit; restrict
2.
to keep shut in; restrict the free movement of
arthritis confined him to bed
noun (ˈkɒnfaɪn)
3. (often plural)
a limit; boundary
Derived forms
confinable (conˈfinable) or confineable (conˈfineable)
adjective
confineless (ˈconfineless)
adjective
confiner (conˈfiner)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Medieval Latin confīnāre from Latin confīnis adjacent, from fīnis end, boundary
confine in American English
(kənˈfaɪn; for 1 ˈkɑnˌfaɪn)
noun
1. [usually pl.]
a boundary or bounded region; border; limit
2. OLD-FASHIONED, Poetic
confinement
3. Obsolete
a place of confinement
verb intransitiveWord forms: conˈfined or conˈfining
4. Rare
to border (on) or be contiguous (with or to another region)
verb transitive
5.
to keep within limits; restrict
to confine a talk to ten minutes
6.
to keep shut up, as in prison, in bed because of illness, indoors, etc.
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈlimit
Idioms:
be confined
Derived forms
confinable (conˈfinable)
adjective or conˈfineable
Word origin
ME confinies, pl. < OFr confins, pl., a border, boundary < L confinium (pl. confinia), boundary, limit < confinis, bordering on < com-, with + finis, an end: see finish
Examples of 'confine' in a sentence
confine
They highlight the growth of a pursuit once confined to a narrow social elite.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
This danger is not just confined to sport.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There are two strong reasons for confining the army to barracks.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Would he do this in the confines of a prison cell?
The Sun (2014)
These will increase the storage capacity of the space when area is a confining factor.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Safety valves are needed only when pressure builds within a confining system.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Our knowledge was in fact largely confined to that which was in the public domain.
Admiral Sandy Woodward, With Patrick Robinson ONE HUNDRED DAYS (2003)
In the close confines of a primary school it can spread fast.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This problem is usually confined to very muscular men.
Pantano, James A. (MD) Living with Angina (1991)
We are now confined to our houses.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
He could foresee a life of writing and a way out of the confines of class.
The Times Literary Supplement (2014)
They are by no means confined to matters of administration.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They can only retreat by one narrow road confined between impassable woods.
Andrew Roberts, Series edited by Lisa Jardine and Amanda Foreman WATERLOO: Napoleon's Last Gamble (2005)
The poaching phenomenon is not just confined to financial services.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The army was confined to barracks and did not interfere.
Grenville, J. A. S. The Collins History of the World in the 20th Century (1994)
Delivering training within the confines of the prison was a challenge.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
His reticence now is confined to areas where he really does not know enough.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He was close confined for three months.
Paul Hyland RALEGH'S LAST JOURNEY: A Tale of Madness, Vanity and Treachery (2003)
This is still a problem confined to a small group of society.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But gentlemen, we must confine ourselves within limits.
Richard Ingrams The Life and Adventures of William Cobbett (2005)
The tax benefits of marriage are not confined to a couple's lifetime.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
confine
British English: confine VERB
To confine something to a particular place or group means to prevent it from spreading beyond that place or group.
Health officials have successfully confined the epidemic to this area.
American English: confine
Brazilian Portuguese: confinar
Chinese: 控制将 某事物
European Spanish: delimitar
French: limiter
German: eindämmen
Italian: limitare
Japanese: 限定する
Korean: 국한시키다
European Portuguese: confinar
Latin American Spanish: delimitar
Chinese translation of 'confine'
confine
(kənˈfaɪn)
vt
(= imprison)
to confine sb to sth将(將)某人限制在某处(處) (jiāng mǒurén xiànzhì zài mǒuchù)