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circumscribeto restrict something within limits; to draw a line around

Part of speech: VERB

Definition: to restrict something within limits; to draw a line around

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈsɜːrkəmskraɪb/

Example Sentences

  • My strict parents circumscribed my social life so much that I felt like a prisoner in my own home.
  • The teacher circumscribed the students' creativity by giving them too many rules for the art project.
  • Budget constraints circumscribed our vacation plans, so we ended up camping instead of going to Hawaii.

circumscribe

VERB

[/ˈsɜːrkəmskraɪb/]

to restrict something within limits; to draw a line around

The new policy circumscribes how much screen time kids can have.
💡 Concept

The new policy circumscribes how much screen time kids can have.

Circus scribe draws lines to restrict the wild acts within limits
🧠 Mnemonic

Circus scribe draws lines to restrict the wild acts within limits

The doctor must circumscribe what he can prescribe, then describe the options.
🎵 Rhyme

The doctor must circumscribe what he can prescribe, then describe the options.

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈsɜːrkəmskraɪb/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈsɜːkəmskraɪb/

🌳Etymology

Prefixcircum--
Rootscrib

Origin

From Latin circumscribere, composed of circum (around) and scribere (to write or draw). The word originally meant to draw a line around something, and evolved to mean restricting or limiting something within boundaries.

Breakdown

circum- (around) + scribe (write/draw) = circumscribe (to draw around or restrict within limits)

🎵Rhyme

describeprescribeinscribe
describe
prescribe
inscribe

🔗Collocations

circumscribe authority
circumscribe freedom
strictly circumscribed
circumscribe a circle
circumscribe activities
narrowly circumscribed

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

My strict parents circumscribed my social life so much that I felt like a prisoner in my own home.

The teacher circumscribed the students' creativity by giving them too many rules for the art project.

😄 Fun example

Budget constraints circumscribed our vacation plans, so we ended up camping instead of going to Hawaii.

The constitution circumscribes the president's power to declare war.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

limitrestrictconfineconstrainbound

Antonyms

expandliberatefree

Related

prescribedescribeinscribeboundarylimitation

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