LIMIT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does limit mean? 

• LIMIT (noun)
  The noun LIMIT has 6 senses:

1. the greatest possible degree of something

2. final or latest limiting point

3. as far as something can go

4. the boundary of a specific area

5. the mathematical value toward which a function goes as the independent variable approaches infinity

6. the greatest amount of something that is possible or allowed

  Familiarity information: LIMIT used as a noun is common.

• LIMIT (verb)
  The verb LIMIT has 3 senses:

1. place limits on (extent or amount or access)

2. restrict or confine within limits

3. decide upon or fix definitely

  Familiarity information: LIMIT used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• LIMIT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The greatest possible degree of something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

bound; boundary; limit

Context example:

to the limit of his ability

Hypernyms ("limit" is a kind of...):

extent (the distance or area or volume over which something extends)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "limit"):

absoluteness; starkness; utterness (the quality of being complete or utter or extreme)

heat barrier; thermal barrier (a limit to high speed flight imposed by aerodynamic heating)

level best; maximum; utmost; uttermost (the greatest possible degree)

brink; verge (the limit beyond which something happens or changes)

knife-edge (a narrow boundary)

Derivation:

limit (restrict or confine within limits)

limit (decide upon or fix definitely)

limit (place limits on (extent or amount or access))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Final or latest limiting point

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

limit; terminal point; terminus ad quem

Hypernyms ("limit" is a kind of...):

end; ending (the point in time at which something ends)

Derivation:

limit (decide upon or fix definitely)

Sense 3

Meaning:

As far as something can go

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Hypernyms ("limit" is a kind of...):

extremity (the outermost or farthest region or point)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "limit"):

maximum (the point on a curve where the tangent changes from positive on the left to negative on the right)

range; reach (the limits within which something can be effective)

minimum (the point on a curve where the tangent changes from negative on the left to positive on the right)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The boundary of a specific area

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

demarcation; demarcation line; limit

Hypernyms ("limit" is a kind of...):

bound; boundary; bounds (the line or plane indicating the limit or extent of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "limit"):

edge (the outside limit of an object or area or surface; a place farthest away from the center of something)

city limit; city limits (the limits of the area occupied by a city or town)

upper limit (the limit on the upper (or northernmost) side of something)

lower limit (the limit on the lower (or southernmost) side of something)

three-mile limit (the limit of a nation's territorial waters)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The mathematical value toward which a function goes as the independent variable approaches infinity

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

limit; limit point; point of accumulation

Hypernyms ("limit" is a kind of...):

indefinite quantity (an estimated quantity)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The greatest amount of something that is possible or allowed

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

Synonyms:

limit; limitation

Context example:

it is growing rapidly with no limitation in sight

Hypernyms ("limit" is a kind of...):

indefinite quantity (an estimated quantity)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "limit"):

extremum; peak (the most extreme possible amount or value)

cutoff (a designated limit beyond which something cannot function or must be terminated)

• LIMIT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they limit    ... he / she / it limits   
Past simple: limited   
Past participle: limited   
-ing form: limiting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Place limits on (extent or amount or access)

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

bound; confine; limit; restrict; throttle; trammel

Context example:

limit the time you can spend with your friends

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "limit"):

scant; skimp (limit in quality or quantity)

cumber; encumber; restrain (restrict (someone or something) so as to make free movement difficult)

gate (restrict (school boys') movement to the dormitory or campus as a means of punishment)

delimit; delimitate; demarcate (set, mark, or draw the boundaries of something)

clamp down; crack down (repress or suppress (something regarded as undesirable))

constrain; stiffen; tighten; tighten up (severely restrict in scope or extent)

cramp; halter; hamper; strangle (prevent the progress or free movement of)

mark off; mark out (set boundaries to and delimit)

draw a line; draw the line (reasonably object (to) or set a limit (on))

tie (limit or restrict to)

reduce; tighten (narrow or limit)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

limitation ((law) a time period after which suits cannot be brought)

limiter ((electronics) a nonlinear electronic circuit whose output is limited in amplitude; used to limit the instantaneous amplitude of a waveform (to clip off the peaks of a waveform))

limitation (a principle that limits the extent of something)

limitation (the quality of being limited or restricted)

limitation (an act of limiting or restricting (as by regulation))

limit (the greatest possible degree of something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Restrict or confine within limits

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

circumscribe; confine to; limit

Context example:

our actions are circumscribed by our biology, personality, and by the social and cultural context into which we are born

Hypernyms (to "limit" is one way to...):

decrease; lessen; minify (make smaller)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "limit"):

hold down (restrain)

keep down; number (place a limit on the number of)

cap (restrict the number or amount of)

curb; curtail; cut back; restrict (place restrictions on)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

limit (the greatest possible degree of something)

limitation (an act of limiting or restricting (as by regulation))

limitation (the quality of being limited or restricted)

limitation (a principle that limits the extent of something)

limitation ((law) a time period after which suits cannot be brought)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Decide upon or fix definitely

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

define; determine; fix; limit; set; specify

Context example:

specify the parameters

Hypernyms (to "limit" is one way to...):

choose; pick out; select; take (pick out, select, or choose from a number of alternatives)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "limit"):

quantify (use as a quantifier)

name (mention and identify by name)

reset (set anew)

define (give a definition for the meaning of a word)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

limit (the greatest possible degree of something)

limit (final or latest limiting point)

 Context examples 

Treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections with medications that target the virus directly, limiting the ability of infected cells to produce new HIV particles.

(Anti-HIV Therapy, NCI Thesaurus)

There are currently some true ''red'' spinaches on the market, but the red color is limited to the veins of the leaves.

(World's First True Red Spinach Variety Released, U.S. Department of Agriculture)

That limits the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your body.

(Atherosclerosis, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

From the first moment of this voyage, I wish Mr. Micawber to stand upon that vessel's prow and say, Enough of delay: enough of disappointment: enough of limited means.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"And then you will at least know the limit of my purpose. Shall I go on?"

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The part of the eye anterior to the lens, including but not limited to the anterior chamber, cornea and related structures.

(Anterior Eye Segment, NCI Thesaurus)

Although a large body of literature exists on the toxicity of PAHs, data for anthracene are limited.

(Anthracene, NCI Thesaurus)

The researchers discovered that T cells, a type of immune cell, contain a group of oxygen-sensing proteins which act to limit inflammation within the lungs.

(Oxygen can impair cancer immunotherapy in mice, NIH)

The ability of a product to retain its properties within specified limits throughout its shelf life and to resist conditions that may affect its stated performance.

(Medical Product Stability, NCI Thesaurus)

Well, that gives us a limit.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)