CONSTRAIN

stiffen, tighten, tighten up, constrain

(verb) severely restrict in scope or extent; “tighten the rules”; “stiffen the regulations”

restrain, confine, hold, constrain

(verb) to close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement; “This holds the local until the express passengers change trains”; “About a dozen animals were held inside the stockade”; “The illegal immigrants were held at a detention center”; “The terrorists held the journalists for ransom”

enforce, impose, constrain

(verb) compel to behave in a certain way; “Social relations impose courtesy”; “duty constrains one to act often contrary to one’s desires or inclinations”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Verb

constrain (third-person singular simple present constrains, present participle constraining, simple past and past participle constrained)

(transitive) To force physically, by strong persuasion or pressuring; to compel; to oblige.

(transitive) To keep within close bounds; to confine.

(transitive) To reduce a result in response to limited resources.

Anagrams

• consarn it, consarnit, introscan, non-racist, nonracist, transonic

Source: Wiktionary

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Con*strain", v. t. [imp. & p.p. Constrained; p.pr. & vb.n. Constraining.] Etym: [OF. constraindre, F. contrainde, L. constringere; con- + stringere to draw tight. See Strain, and. cf. Constrict, Conbstringere.]

1. To secure by bonds; to chain; to bond or con He binds in hains The droway prophet, and his limbs constrains. Dryden. When winter frosts constrain the fields with old. Dryden.

2. To bring into a narrow compass; to compress. How the strait stays the slender waist constrain. Gay.

3. To hold back by force; to restrain; to repress. My sire in caves constrains the winds. Dryden.

4. To compel; to force; to necessiate; to oblige. The love of Christ constraineth us. 2. Cor. v. 14. I was constrained to appeal unto CActs xxviii. 19.

5. To violate; to ravish. [Obs.] Shak.

6. To produce in such a manner as to give an unnatural effet; as, a constrained voice.

Syn.

– To compel; force; drive; impel; urge; press.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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