constrain
con·strain
(kən-strān′)tr.v. con·strained, con·strain·ing, con·strains
1.
a. To keep within certain limits; confine or limit: "Legislators ... used the power of the purse to constrain the size of the military" (Julian E. Zelizer).
b. To inhibit or restrain; hold back: "She noticed her mother blushing and acting somewhat constrained in her conversation with the grandmother" (David Huddle).
2. To compel by physical, moral, or circumstantial force; oblige: felt constrained to object to his behavior.
3. To produce in a forced or inhibited manner: "This smile seemed to touch something off in her ... and playfully she constrained her own roguish smile" (Naeem Murr).
[Middle English constreinen, from Old French constraindre, constraign-, from Latin cōnstringere, to restrain, compress : com-, com- + stringere, to bind, press together; see streig- in Indo-European roots.]
con·strain′a·ble adj.
con·strain′ed·ly (-strā′nĭd-lē) adv.
con·strain′er n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
constrain
(kənˈstreɪn)vb (tr)
1. to compel or force, esp by persuasion, circumstances, etc; oblige
2. to restrain by or as if by force; confine
[C14: from Old French constreindre, from Latin constringere to bind together, from stringere to bind]
conˈstrainer n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
con•strain
(kənˈstreɪn)v.t.
1. to force, compel, or oblige.
2. to confine forcibly, as by bonds.
3. to repress or restrain.
[1275–1325; Middle English constrei(g)nen < Anglo-French, Middle French constrei(g)n-, s. of constreindre < Latin constringere. See con-, strain1]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
constrain
Past participle: constrained
Gerund: constraining
| Imperative |
|---|
| constrain |
| constrain |
| Present |
|---|
| I constrain |
| you constrain |
| he/she/it constrains |
| we constrain |
| you constrain |
| they constrain |
| Preterite |
|---|
| I constrained |
| you constrained |
| he/she/it constrained |
| we constrained |
| you constrained |
| they constrained |
| Present Continuous |
|---|
| I am constraining |
| you are constraining |
| he/she/it is constraining |
| we are constraining |
| you are constraining |
| they are constraining |
| Present Perfect |
|---|
| I have constrained |
| you have constrained |
| he/she/it has constrained |
| we have constrained |
| you have constrained |
| they have constrained |
| Past Continuous |
|---|
| I was constraining |
| you were constraining |
| he/she/it was constraining |
| we were constraining |
| you were constraining |
| they were constraining |
| Past Perfect |
|---|
| I had constrained |
| you had constrained |
| he/she/it had constrained |
| we had constrained |
| you had constrained |
| they had constrained |
| Future |
|---|
| I will constrain |
| you will constrain |
| he/she/it will constrain |
| we will constrain |
| you will constrain |
| they will constrain |
| Future Perfect |
|---|
| I will have constrained |
| you will have constrained |
| he/she/it will have constrained |
| we will have constrained |
| you will have constrained |
| they will have constrained |
| Future Continuous |
|---|
| I will be constraining |
| you will be constraining |
| he/she/it will be constraining |
| we will be constraining |
| you will be constraining |
| they will be constraining |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I have been constraining |
| you have been constraining |
| he/she/it has been constraining |
| we have been constraining |
| you have been constraining |
| they have been constraining |
| Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I will have been constraining |
| you will have been constraining |
| he/she/it will have been constraining |
| we will have been constraining |
| you will have been constraining |
| they will have been constraining |
| Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I had been constraining |
| you had been constraining |
| he/she/it had been constraining |
| we had been constraining |
| you had been constraining |
| they had been constraining |
| Conditional |
|---|
| I would constrain |
| you would constrain |
| he/she/it would constrain |
| we would constrain |
| you would constrain |
| they would constrain |
| Past Conditional |
|---|
| I would have constrained |
| you would have constrained |
| he/she/it would have constrained |
| we would have constrained |
| you would have constrained |
| they would have constrained |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
| Verb | 1. | constrain - hold back bridle - put a bridle on; "bridle horses" curb - keep to the curb; "curb your dogs" clog - impede the motion of, as with a chain or a burden; "horses were clogged until they were tamed" |
| 2. | constrain - restrict; "Tighten the rules"; "stiffen the regulations" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
constrain
verb
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
constrain
verb1. To cause (a person or thing) to act or move in spite of resistance:
2. To control, restrict, or arrest:
3. To check the freedom and spontaneity of:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
constrain
[kənˈstreɪn] vt
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
constrain
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
constrain
v. restringir; impedir.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012