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1828.mshaffer.com › Word [confine]
CON'FINE, n. [L., at the end or border, adjoining; a limit; end, border, limit. See Fine.] Border; edge; exterior part; the part of any territory which is at or near the end or extremity. It is used generally in the plural, and applied chiefly to the countries, territory, cities, rivers, &c. We say, the confines of France, or of Scotland, and figuratively, the confines of light, of death, or the grave; but never, the confines of a book, table or small piece of land. CON'FINE, a. Bordering on; lying on the border; adjacent; having a common boundary. CON'FINE, v.i. To border on; to touch the limit; to be adjacent or contiguous, as one territory, kingdom or state to another; usually followed by on; sometimes by with. England confines on Scotland. Connecticut confines on Massachusets, New-York, Rhode Island and the sound.
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Evolution (or devolution) of this word [confine]
1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
CON'FINE, n. [L., at the end or border, adjoining; a limit; end, border, limit. See Fine.] Border; edge; exterior part; the part of any territory which is at or near the end or extremity. It is used generally in the plural, and applied chiefly to the countries, territory, cities, rivers, &c. We say, the confines of France, or of Scotland, and figuratively, the confines of light, of death, or the grave; but never, the confines of a book, table or small piece of land. CON'FINE, a. Bordering on; lying on the border; adjacent; having a common boundary. CON'FINE, v.i. To border on; to touch the limit; to be adjacent or contiguous, as one territory, kingdom or state to another; usually followed by on; sometimes by with. England confines on Scotland. Connecticut confines on Massachusets, New-York, Rhode Island and the sound. | CON'FINE, a.Bordering on; lying on the border; adjacent; having a common boundary. Johnson. CON'FINE, n. [L. confinis, at the end or border, adjoining; confinium, a limit; con and finis, end, border, limit; It. confine, confino; Sp. confin; Fr. and Port. confins. See Fine.]Border; edge; exterior part; the part of any territory which is at or near the end or extremity. It is used generally in the plural, and applied chiefly to countries, territory, cities, rivers, &c. We say, the confines of France, or of Scotland; and figuratively, the confines of light, of death, or the grave; but never, the confines of a book, table, or small piece of land. CON'FINE, v.i. [Fr. confiner; Sp. confinar; It. confinare.]To border on; to touch the limit; to be adjacent or contiguous, as one territory, kingdom or state to another; usually followed by on; sometimes by with. England confines on Scotland. Connecticut confines on Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, and the Sound. CON-FINE', v.t. [Sp. confinar; Fr. confiner. See Supra.]- To bound or limit; to restrain within limits; hence, to imprison; to shut up; to restrain from escape by force or insurmountable obstacles, in a general sense; as, to confine horses or cattle to an inclosure; to confine water in a pond, to dam; to confine a garrison in a town; to confine a criminal in prison.
- To immure; to keep close, by a voluntary act; to be much at home or in retirement; as, a man confines himself to his studies, or to his house.
- To limit or restrain voluntarily, in some act or practice; as, a man may confine himself to the use of animal food.
- To tie or bind; to make fast or close; as, to confine air in a bladder, or corn in a bag or sack.
- To restrain by a moral force; as, to confine men by laws. The constitution of the United States confines the states to the exercise of powers of a local nature.
| Con*fine"
- To restrain within limits; to restrict; to limit; to bound;
to shut up; to inclose; to keep close.
- To have a common boundary; to border; to lie contiguous; to
touch; -- followed by on or with.
- Common boundary; border; limit; -- used chiefly in the
plural.
- Apartment; place of restraint;
prison.
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1828 Webster | 1844 Webster | 1913 Webster |
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Confine CON'FINE, noun [Latin , at the end or border, adjoining; a limit; end, border, limit. See Fine.] Border; edge; exterior part; the part of any territory which is at or near the end or extremity. It is used generally in the plural, and applied chiefly to the countries, territory, cities, rivers, etc. We say, the confines of France, or of Scotland, and figuratively, the confines of light, of death, or the grave; but never, the confines of a book, table or small piece of land. CON'FINE, adjective Bordering on; lying on the border; adjacent; having a common boundary. CON'FINE, verb intransitive To border on; to touch the limit; to be adjacent or contiguous, as one territory, kingdom or state to another; usually followed by on; sometimes by with. England confines on Scotland. Connecticut confines on Massachusets, New-York, Rhode Island and the sound. CONFI'NE, verb transitive [See Supra.] 1. To bound or limit; to restrain within limits; hence, to imprison; to shut up; to restrain from escape by force or insurmountable obstacles, in a general sense; as, to confine horses or cattle to an inclosure; to confine water in a pond, to dam; to confine a garrison in a town; to confine a criminal in prison. 2. To immure; to deep close, by a voluntary act; to be much at home or in retirement; as, a man confines himself to his studies, or to his house. 3. To limit or restrain voluntarily, in some act or practice; as, a man may confine himself to the use of animal food. 4. To tie or bind; to make fast or close; as, to confine air in a bladder, or corn in a bag or sack. 5. To restrain by a moral force; as, to confine men by laws. The constitution of the United States confines the states to the exercise of powers of a local nature.
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Compact Edition |
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CD-ROM |
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* As a note, I have purchased each of these products. In fact, as we have been developing the Project:: 1828 Reprint, I have purchased several of the bulky hard-cover dictionaries. My opinion is that the 2000-page hard-cover edition is the only good viable solution at this time. The compact edition was a bit disappointing and the CD-ROM as well. |
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