Confining

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Confine \Con*fine"\ (k[o^]n*f[imac]n"), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
     {Confined}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Confining}.] [F. confiner to
     border upon, LL. confinare to set bounds to; con- + finis
     boundary, end. See {Final}, {Finish}.]
     To restrain within limits; to restrict; to limit; to bound;
     to shut up; to inclose; to keep close.


     [1913 Webster]
  
           Now let not nature's hand
           Keep the wild flood confined! let order die! --Shak.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           He is to confine himself to the compass of numbers and
           the slavery of rhyme.                    --Dryden.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {To be confined}, to be in childbed.
  
     Syn: To bound; limit; restrain; imprison; immure; inclose;
          circumscribe; restrict.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  confining
       adj 1: restricting the scope or freedom of action [syn: {constraining},
               {constrictive}, {limiting}, {restricting}]
       2: crowded; "close quarters" [syn: {close}]