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circumscribe Definition

cir·cum·scribe (sʉr′kəm skrīb′, sʉr′kəm skrīb′)

transitive verb -·scribed′, -·scrib′·ing

  1. to trace a line around; encircle; encompass
    1. to set or mark off the limits of; limit; confine
    2. to restrict the action of; restrain
  3. Geom.
    1. to draw a plane figure around (another plane figure) either to intersect each vertex of the inner figure, as a circle around a square, or to have each side of the outer figure tangent to the inner figure, as a square around a circle
    2. to enclose a solid figure within (another solid figure) in a similar manner, as a cube within a sphere or a sphere within a cube

Etymology: ME circumscriben < L circumscribere: see circum- & scribe

circumscribe Related Forms

cir′·cum·scrib′·able adjective cir′·cum·scrib′er noun

circumscribe Synonyms

circumscribe

v.

  1. To trace a line around

    encircle, encompass, girdle; see circle, surround 1.

  2. To limit

    restrict, bound, confine; see define 1, limit, restrict 2. See syn. study at limit.

circumscribe Usage Examples

Object

  • halo: The arc wraps around the circumscribed halo at high sun.
  • world: The primary function of these accounts was to circumscribe the world of rationality.
  • area: Naturalism on television is 'a way of writing about the world which circumscribes the area you're allowed to write about.
  • phenomenon: Usually, finding aggregate data about a specific time-space circumscribed empirical phenomenon is a not so difficult undertaking.
  • limit: Who, in Deleuze's terms, wins the ' right ' to circumscribe the limits of the possible?
  • space: Beside these courts, a circumscribed space in front of the house is occasionally used for refractory patients.

Subject

  • law: Freedom of speech is circumscribed by laws against incitement to murder and violence.
  • body: Even in deep sleep, the consciousness of the jIva is circumscribed by the causal body.
  • nature: Such a body of knowledge is circumscribed by the nature of facts in reality including their relationships and implications.

Modifying Another Word

  • narrowly: With two exceptions, such authority was usually narrowly circumscribed.
  • tightly: If the question put is tightly circumscribed, the adjudicator, as first happened here, would be right to debar new arguments.
  • strictly: To con each scope is strictly circumscribed to the facts.
  • severely: Today the powers of the majority of nations are severely circumscribed by the need to attract inward investment.
  • heavily: Now, this is heavily circumscribed, either in the 16th century by Anglicans or the 17th century by Puritans.
  • carefully: Even for adult heads of households, freedom was carefully circumscribed.

Used with why or when

what: Time and again, we witness how difficult it is for individuals to try and circumscribe what they mean by'sustainability ' .

Preposition: in

way: What defined and closed group does one imagine one is circumscribing in this way?

Preposition: by

  • law: Freedom of speech is circumscribed by laws against incitement to murder and violence.
  • body: Even in deep sleep, the consciousness of the jIva is circumscribed by the causal body.
  • race: Despite their efforts they find their lives circumscribed by race.