confine
1 of 1verb/kənˈfaɪn/
Forms:confines,confining,confined,confined
1
to keep someone or something within limits of different types, such as subject, activity, area, etc.
C1transitive- The doctor advised him to confine his activities to avoid aggravating his injury.
- The terms of the agreement confine the company's use of the data to specific purposes.
- The artist's creativity is often confined to abstract painting.
- The budget confines the project to only essential expenditures.
- The new regulations confine the use of drones to designated areas.
2
to prevent someone or something from leaving or being taken away from a place
transitive- The zookeepers must confine the lions in secure enclosures for safety.
- During the quarantine, individuals were confined to their homes to prevent the spread of the virus.
- The prisoner was confined to a small cell for the duration of their sentence.
- Due to the contagious illness, the patient was confined to a separate hospital room.
- During the experiment, scientists carefully confined the mice to controlled environments.
3
to keep something or someone within a specific area or space by limiting their movement
transitive- The storm confined them indoors for the entire day.
- The small boat was confined to the harbor due to rough waters.
- His work schedule confined him to the office all week.
- The dangerous chemicals were confined to a secure storage room.
4
to surround or close in on something or someone
transitive- The walls of the room confined him, making him feel trapped.
- The storm clouds began to confine the area, blocking the view of the sky.
- The thick forest confined their path, making it difficult to move forward.
- The towering mountains confine the valley, limiting access to the outside world.