con·straint

(kən-strānt′)

1. The threat or use of force to prevent, restrict, or dictate the action or thought of others.

2. The state of being restricted or confined within prescribed bounds: soon tired of the constraint of military life.

3. One that restricts, limits, or regulates; a check: ignored all moral constraints in his pursuit of success.

4. Embarrassed reserve or reticence; awkwardness: "All constraint had vanished between the two, and they began to talk" (Edith Wharton).

[Middle English constreinte, from Old French, from feminine past participle of constraindre, to constrain; see constrain.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

constraint

(kənˈstreɪnt)

1. compulsion, force, or restraint

2. repression or control of natural feelings or impulses

3. a forced unnatural manner; inhibition

4. something that serves to constrain; restrictive condition: social constraints kept him silent.

5. (Grammar) linguistics any very general restriction on a sentence formation rule

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

con•straint

(kənˈstreɪnt)

n.

1. limitation or restriction.

2. repression of natural feelings and impulses.

3. unnatural restraint in manner; embarrassment.

4. something that constrains.

5. the act of constraining.

6. the condition of being constrained.

[1350–1400; Middle English constreinte < Middle French, n. use of feminine past participle of constreindre; see constrain]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	constraint - the state of being physically constrained; "dogs should be kept under restraint" restraint confinement - the state of being confined; "he was held in confinement" cage - something that restricts freedom as a cage restricts movement
	2.	constraint - a device that retards something's motion; "the car did not have proper restraints fitted" restraint air bag - a safety restraint in an automobile; the bag inflates on collision and prevents the driver or passenger from being thrown forward airbrake, dive brake - a small parachute or articulated flap to reduce the speed of an aircraft arrester, arrester hook - a restraint that slows airplanes as they land on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier band - a restraint put around something to hold it together brake - a restraint used to slow or stop a vehicle brake - anything that slows or hinders a process; "she wan not ready to put the brakes on her life with a marriage"; "new legislation will put the brakes on spending" brake pad - one of the pads that apply friction to both sides of the brake disk brake shoe, skid, shoe - a restraint provided when the brake linings are moved hydraulically against the brake drum to retard the wheel's rotation catch, stop - a restraint that checks the motion of something; "he used a book as a stop to hold the door open" chain - anything that acts as a restraint device - an instrumentality invented for a particular purpose; "the device is small enough to wear on your wrist"; "a device intended to conserve water" fastening, holdfast, fastener, fixing - restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place gag, muzzle - restraint put into a person's mouth to prevent speaking or shouting leash, tether, lead - restraint consisting of a rope (or light chain) used to restrain an animal ignition lock, lock - a restraint incorporated into the ignition switch to prevent the use of a vehicle by persons who do not have the key muzzle - a leather or wire restraint that fits over an animal's snout (especially a dog's nose and jaws) and prevents it from eating or biting life belt, safety belt, safety harness - belt attaching you to some object as a restraint in order to prevent you from getting hurt sea anchor, drogue - restraint consisting of a canvas covered frame that floats behind a vessel; prevents drifting or maintains the heading into a wind hamper, shackle, trammel, bond - a restraint that confines or restricts freedom (especially something used to tie down or restrain a prisoner) trammel - a restraint that is used to teach a horse to amble
	3.	constraint - the act of constraining; the threat or use of force to control the thoughts or behavior of others restriction, confinement - the act of keeping something within specified bounds (by force if necessary); "the restriction of the infection to a focal area" swaddling clothes - restrictions placed on the immature

constraint

noun

1. restriction, limitation, curb, rein, deterrent, hindrance, damper, check Their decision to abandon the trip was made because of financial constraints.

2. force, pressure, necessity, restraint, compulsion, coercion People are not morally responsible for that which they do under constraint or compulsion.

3. repression, reservation, embarrassment, restraint, inhibition, timidity, diffidence, bashfulness She feels no constraint in discussing sexual matters.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

constraint

noun

1. Power used to overcome resistance:

coercion, compulsion, duress, force, pressure, strength, violence.

2. The act of limiting or condition of being limited:

circumscription, confinement, limitation, restraint, restriction.

3. Something that limits or restricts:

check, circumscription, cramp, curb, inhibition, limit, limitation, restraint, restriction, stricture, trammel.

Translations

Beschränkung

assujettissement contrainte

costrizione

begrenzing beperkinginperkingrandvoorwaarde

закрепощённость

constraint

[kənˈstreɪnt] N

1. (= compulsion) → coacción f, fuerza f
under constraint → obligado (a ello)

2. (= limit) → restricción f
budgetary constraints → restricciones presupuestarias

3. (= restraint) → reserva f, cohibición f
to feel a certain constraint → sentirse algo cohibido

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

constraint

[kənˈstreɪnt] n

(= restriction) → contrainte f

(= embarrassment) → gêne f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

constraint

(= compulsion) → Zwang m

(= restriction) → Beschränkung f, → Einschränkung f; to place constraints on something → einer Sache (dat) → Zwänge auferlegen

(in manner etc) → Gezwungenheit f; (= embarrassment) → Befangenheit f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

constraint

[kənˈstreɪnt] n no pl (compulsion) → costrizione f; (restraint) → limitazione f; (embarrassment) → imbarazzo, soggezione f

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

After a moment Mattie seemed to be affected by the same sense of constraint. She changed her position, leaning forward to bend her head above her work, so that he saw only the foreshortened tip of her nose and the streak of red in her hair; then she slipped to her feet, saying "I can't see to sew," and went back to her chair by the lamp.

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"I intended...I wanted to have a little talk with you about my sister and your mutual position," he said, still struggling with an unaccustomed constraint.

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I understood but too well the change in her manner, to greater kindness and quicker readiness in interpreting all my wishes, before others--to constraint and sadness, and nervous anxiety to absorb herself in the first occupation she could seize on, whenever we happened to be left together alone.

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And they are not to found otherwise, because men will always prove untrue to you unless they are kept honest by constraint. Therefore it must be inferred that good counsels, whencesoever they come, are born of the wisdom of the prince, and not the wisdom of the prince from good counsels.

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So when they were alone the king's daughter said to her eleven girls: 'Show some constraint, and do not look round at the spinning-wheels.' And next morning when the king had his twelve huntsmen summoned, they went through the ante-chamber, and never once looked at the spinning-wheels.

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She was right, for Leslie's air of constraint suddenly vanished.

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--Uncloudedly to smile down out of luminous eyes and out of miles of distance, when under us constraint and purpose and guilt steam like rain.

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She knew how to hit to a hair's-breadth that moment of evening when the light and the darkness are so evenly balanced that the constraint of day and the suspense of night neutralize each other, leaving absolute mental liberty.

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"Yes?" said the Doctor, with evident constraint. "Bring your chair here, and speak on."

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All constraint and formality quickly disappeared, and the friendliest feeling succeeded.

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He was all for nature and liberty, whereas I had now come to realise the charm of the artificial, and the social value of constraint.

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The tact and skill which suffice to avert a Woman's sting are unequal to the task of stopping a Woman's mouth; and as the wife has absolutely nothing to say, and absolutely no constraint of wit, sense, or conscience to prevent her from saying it, not a few cynics have been found to aver that they prefer the danger of the death-dealing but inaudible sting to the safe sonorousness of a Woman's other end.

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