circumscribe

/ˌsʌrkəmˈskraɪb/

Other forms: circumscribed; circumscribing; circumscribes

To circumscribe is to limit or restrict. If you spend too much time watching TV instead of fulfilling other obligations, you might circumscribe your TV-watching time to one hour daily (or two hours, if your favorite show is on).

Circumscribe comes from the Latin words circum, meaning "around," and scribere, meaning "to write." If the word circumscribe causes you to think of geometry class, give yourself a pat on the back. In geometry, circumscribe means to draw one geometric figure around another figure so that the two figures touch but don’t intersect. If you studied geometry but this sounds unfamiliar, perhaps you should have taken our advice about watching too much TV.

Definitions of circumscribe

1. verb

   draw a geometric figure around another figure so that the two are in contact but do not intersect
   type of:

   delineate, describe, draw, line, trace

   make a mark or lines on a surface
2. verb

   draw a line around
   type of:

   delineate, describe, draw, line, trace

   make a mark or lines on a surface
3. verb

   restrict or confine
   synonyms: confine, limit

   types:

   hold down

   restrain

   keep down, number

   place a limit on the number of

   cap

   restrict the number or amount of

   curb, curtail, cut back, restrict

   place restrictions on

   delimit, delimitate, demarcate

   set, mark, or draw the boundaries of something

   content

   satisfy in a limited way

   ration

   restrict the consumption of a relatively scarce commodity, as during war

   abridge

   lessen, diminish, or curtail

   immobilise, immobilize

   cause to be unable to move

   type of:

   decrease, lessen, minify

   make smaller