RESTRAIN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does restrain mean? 

• RESTRAIN (verb)
  The verb RESTRAIN has 4 senses:

1. to close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement

2. restrict (someone or something) so as to make free movement difficult

3. prevent (someone or something) from doing something

4. prevent the action or expression of

  Familiarity information: RESTRAIN used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RESTRAIN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they restrain    ... he / she / it restrains   
Past simple: restrained   
Past participle: restrained   
-ing form: restraining   

Sense 1

Meaning:

To close within bounds, or otherwise limit or deprive of free movement

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

confine; constrain; hold; restrain

Context example:

The terrorists held the journalists for ransom

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

disable; disenable; incapacitate (make unable to perform a certain action)

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

bind; tie down; tie up; truss (secure with or as if with ropes)

fetter; shackle (restrain with fetters)

enchain (restrain or bind with chains)

pinion; shackle (bind the arms of)

impound; pound (place or shut up in a pound)

pound; pound up (shut up or confine in any enclosure or within any bounds or limits)

fold; pen up (confine in a fold, like sheep)

ground (confine or restrict to the ground)

Sentence frames:

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

Sentence example:

They want to restrain the prisoners

Derivation:

restrainer (a person who directs and restrains)

restraint (the state of being physically constrained)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Restrict (someone or something) so as to make free movement difficult

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

cumber; encumber; restrain

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

bound; confine; limit; restrict; throttle; trammel (place limits on (extent or amount or access))

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

clog (impede the motion of, as with a chain or a burden)

curb (keep to the curb)

bridle (put a bridle on)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

restrainer (a person who directs and restrains)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Prevent (someone or something) from doing something

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

security guards restrained the reporter from throwing another shoe

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

keep; prevent (stop (someone or something) from doing something or being in a certain state)

Sentence frames:

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

Derivation:

restrainer (a person who directs and restrains)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Prevent the action or expression of

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

hold back; keep; keep back; restrain

Context example:

she struggled to restrain her impatience at the delays

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

blink; blink away; wink (keep back by blinking)

harness; rein; rule (keep in check)

baffle; regulate (restrain the emission of (sound, fluid, etc.))

swallow (keep from expressing)

confine (prevent from leaving or from being removed)

check; contain; control; curb; hold; hold in; moderate (lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits)

hold (keep from exhaling or expelling)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

restrainer (a person who directs and restrains)

restraint (the act of controlling by restraining someone or something)

 Context examples 

He restrained himself however, and the little squall would have blown over, but for one unlucky word.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I can guess your feelings, he said, but restrain them for a while: I have nearly finished; hear me to the end.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

"What was the name of the man who took it?" asked Dr. Van Helsing with restrained eagerness.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Even my dread of losing a client could not restrain me from showing my impatience.

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

Differentiation therapy restrains cancer cells growth and facilitates the application of more conventional therapies.

(Differentiation Therapy, NCI Thesaurus)

When night came I quitted my retreat and wandered in the wood; and now, no longer restrained by the fear of discovery, I gave vent to my anguish in fearful howlings.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

This carbon uptake is restrained during winter, but increases to peak capacity in spring when snowmelt provides abundant water to trees.

(Earlier snowmelt decreases streamflow, reduces forests' ability to regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide, NSF)

The lion replied: “They have restrained themselves.”

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

The man had gained his feet and was struggling to escape the restraining arms that were laid on him.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Her looks and words had nothing to restrain them.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)