circumscribe
Meaning: To restrict, limit, or confine within defined boundaries; in geometry, to draw a figure around another so that it touches at specific points.
In its dominant figurative sense, circumscribe means to impose limits on authority, freedom, or action. A government's power may be circumscribed by constitutional constraints; an employee's role may be circumscribed by their job description. It carries a more formal, deliberate tone than 'limit' — circumscribing implies drawing clear boundaries rather than simply reducing. The passive form 'circumscribed by' is particularly common in legal and political writing.
Examples
- The powers of the executive are circumscribed by the provisions of the constitutional settlement. 行政权力受到宪法规定的制约。Los poderes del ejecutivo están circunscritos por las disposiciones del acuerdo constitucional.行政権は憲法上の取り決めの規定によって制限されている。행정부의 권한은 헌법적 합의의 조항에 의해 제한되어 있다.
- Her role was tightly circumscribed, leaving little room for initiative or independent decision-making. 她的角色被严格限定,几乎没有主动性或独立决策的空间。Su papel estaba estrictamente circunscrito, dejando poco margen para la iniciativa o la toma de decisiones independiente.彼女の役割は厳しく限定されており、自発性や独自の意思決定の余地はほとんどなかった。그녀의 역할은 엄격하게 한정되어 있어 자발적 행동이나 독자적 의사결정의 여지가 거의 없었다.
- Traditional social norms continue to circumscribe the opportunities available to women in many rural communities. 传统的社会规范继续限制着许多农村社区妇女的机会。Las normas sociales tradicionales siguen circunscribiendo las oportunidades de las mujeres en muchas comunidades rurales.伝統的な社会規範は、多くの農村地域において女性が利用できる機会を引き続き制限している。전통적 사회 규범은 많은 농촌 지역에서 여성이 이용할 수 있는 기회를 계속 제한하고 있다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: legal, academic, politics
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From Latin circumscribere (to draw a line around, limit), from circum- (around) + scribere (to write, draw). Entered English in the 15th century with both its geometric and figurative senses.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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