"circumscribe" meaning in English

See circumscribe in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

IPA: /ˈsɜː.kəm.skɹaɪb/ [UK], /ˈsɝ.kəm.skɹaɪb/ [US] Audio: en-us-circumscribe.ogg , en-au-circumscribe.ogg Forms: circumscribes [present, singular, third-person], circumscribing [participle, present], circumscribed [participle, past], circumscribed [past]
Rhymes: -aɪb Etymology: From Latin circumscrībō, from circum (“around”) + scrībō (“write”). By surface analysis, circum- + scribe. Etymology templates: {{root|en|ine-pro|*(s)kreybʰ-}}, {{der|en|la|circumscrībō}} Latin circumscrībō, {{surf|en|circum-|scribe}} By surface analysis, circum- + scribe Head templates: {{en-verb}} circumscribe (third-person singular simple present circumscribes, present participle circumscribing, simple past and past participle circumscribed)
  1. To draw a line around; to encircle. Translations (to draw a line around; encircle): очертавам (očertavam) (Bulgarian), окръжавам (okrǎžavam) (Bulgarian), obmalovat (Czech), obkroužit (Czech), omskrive (Danish), omcirkelen (Dutch), ümbritsema (Estonian), ympyröidä (Finnish), circonscrire (French), einkreisen (German), תחם (takhám) (Hebrew), cirkumskribar (Ido), omskrive (Norwegian Nynorsk), obwieść (Polish), okrążyć (Polish), circunscrever (Portuguese), circular (Portuguese), circumscrie (Romanian), опи́сывать (opísyvatʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), описа́ть (opisátʹ) [perfective] (Russian), circunscribir (Spanish), omskriva (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-circumscribe-en-verb-oQkiC0Z6 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English terms prefixed with circum-, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 2 entries, Pages with entries, Terms with Bulgarian translations, Terms with Catalan translations, Terms with Czech translations, Terms with Danish translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Estonian translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with French translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hebrew translations, Terms with Ido translations, Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Romanian translations, Terms with Romansch translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Swedish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 76 5 19 Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with circum-: 37 22 40 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 72 11 17 Disambiguation of Pages with 2 entries: 79 8 13 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 87 5 8 Disambiguation of Terms with Bulgarian translations: 65 11 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Catalan translations: 66 11 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Czech translations: 59 13 28 Disambiguation of Terms with Danish translations: 76 7 16 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 64 13 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Estonian translations: 65 11 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 65 11 23 Disambiguation of Terms with French translations: 64 13 23 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 66 12 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Hebrew translations: 65 11 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Ido translations: 74 8 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations: 85 4 12 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 60 14 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 60 10 31 Disambiguation of Terms with Romanian translations: 65 11 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Romansch translations: 71 9 20 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 70 9 21 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 72 10 18 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 66 11 23 Disambiguation of 'to draw a line around; encircle': 93 1 5
  2. To limit narrowly; to restrict. Translations (to limit narrowly; restrict): ограничавам (ograničavam) (Bulgarian), circumscriure (Catalan), ohraničit (Czech), omezit (Czech), beperken (Dutch), limiteren (Dutch), kitsendama (Estonian), rajoittaa (Finnish), circonscrire (French), eingrenzen (German), הגביל (higbíl) (Hebrew), ograniczyć (Polish), circunscrever (Portuguese), restringir (Portuguese), delimitar (Portuguese), ограни́чивать (ograníčivatʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), ограни́чить (ograníčitʹ) [perfective] (Russian), circunscribir (Spanish), begränsa (Swedish), kringskära (Swedish), kringgärda (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-circumscribe-en-verb-0c0hMCaX Categories (other): English terms prefixed with circum- Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with circum-: 37 22 40 Disambiguation of 'to limit narrowly; restrict': 2 95 3
  3. (geometry) To draw the smallest circle or higher-dimensional sphere that has (a polyhedron, polygon, etc.) in its interior. Categories (topical): Geometry Translations (to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball): описвам (opisvam) (Bulgarian), circumscriure (Catalan), opsat (Czech), piiritlema (Estonian), piirtää ympäri (Finnish), piirtää ympyrä monikulmion kärkien kautta (Finnish), circonscrire (French), opisywać [imperfective] (Polish), opisać [perfective] (Polish), circunscrever (Portuguese), оче́рчивать (očérčivatʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), очерти́ть (očertítʹ) [perfective] (Russian), опи́сывать (opísyvatʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), описа́ть (opisátʹ) [perfective] (Russian)
    Sense id: en-circumscribe-en-verb-e1VXh1a5 Categories (other): English terms prefixed with circum- Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with circum-: 37 22 40 Topics: geometry, mathematics, sciences Disambiguation of 'to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball': 23 3 74
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: circumscribability, circumscribable, circumscriber Related terms: circumscribed, circumscript, circumscription

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "circumscribability"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "circumscribable"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "circumscriber"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*(s)kreybʰ-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "circumscrībō"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin circumscrībō",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "circum-",
        "3": "scribe"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, circum- + scribe",
      "name": "surf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Latin circumscrībō, from circum (“around”) + scrībō (“write”). By surface analysis, circum- + scribe.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "circumscribes",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "circumscribing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "circumscribed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "circumscribed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "circumscribe (third-person singular simple present circumscribes, present participle circumscribing, simple past and past participle circumscribed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "circumscribed"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "circumscript"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "circumscription"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "76 5 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "37 22 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with circum-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "72 11 17",
          "kind": "other",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "79 8 13",
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        {
          "_dis": "87 5 8",
          "kind": "other",
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        {
          "_dis": "65 11 23",
          "kind": "other",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "66 11 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Catalan translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "59 13 28",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Czech translations",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "76 7 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Danish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "64 13 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 11 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Estonian translations",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 11 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
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        },
        {
          "_dis": "64 13 23",
          "kind": "other",
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "66 12 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 11 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hebrew translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 8 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Ido translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "85 4 12",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "60 14 26",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "60 10 31",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 11 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Romanian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "71 9 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Romansch translations",
          "parents": [],
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        {
          "_dis": "70 9 21",
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          "_dis": "72 10 18",
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          "_dis": "66 11 23",
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        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To draw a line around; to encircle."
      ],
      "id": "en-circumscribe-en-verb-oQkiC0Z6",
      "links": [
        [
          "draw",
          "draw"
        ],
        [
          "around",
          "around"
        ],
        [
          "encircle",
          "encircle"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "očertavam",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "очертавам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "okrǎžavam",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "окръжавам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "obmalovat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "obkroužit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "omskrive"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "omcirkelen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "ümbritsema"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "ympyröidä"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "circonscrire"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "einkreisen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "roman": "takhám",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "תחם"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "io",
          "lang": "Ido",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "cirkumskribar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "nn",
          "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "omskrive"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "obwieść"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "okrążyć"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "circunscrever"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "circular"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "circumscrie"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "opísyvatʹ",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "опи́сывать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "opisátʹ",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "описа́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "circunscribir"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "93 1 5",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
          "word": "omskriva"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "37 22 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with circum-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Asking for an Invitation”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 29:",
          "text": "\"Well, I promise you to circumscribe her conquests as much as possible by extending my own,\" returned Henrietta. \"It will be an easy task; for Miss Churchill does not do 'the honours of her eyes.' I often tell her her beauty is quite wasted upon her.\"",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36:",
          "text": "It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: […]; perhaps to moralise on the oneness or fragility of the planet, or to see humanity for the small and circumscribed thing that it is; […].",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To limit narrowly; to restrict."
      ],
      "id": "en-circumscribe-en-verb-0c0hMCaX",
      "links": [
        [
          "limit",
          "limit"
        ],
        [
          "restrict",
          "restrict"
        ]
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "ograničavam",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "ограничавам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "circumscriure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "ohraničit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "omezit"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "beperken"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "limiteren"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "kitsendama"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "rajoittaa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "circonscrire"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "eingrenzen"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "roman": "higbíl",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "הגביל"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "ograniczyć"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "circunscrever"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "restringir"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "delimitar"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "ograníčivatʹ",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "ограни́чивать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "ograníčitʹ",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "ограни́чить"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "circunscribir"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "begränsa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "kringskära"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "2 95 3",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
          "word": "kringgärda"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Geometry",
          "orig": "en:Geometry",
          "parents": [
            "Mathematics",
            "Formal sciences",
            "Sciences",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "37 22 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with circum-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To draw the smallest circle or higher-dimensional sphere that has (a polyhedron, polygon, etc.) in its interior."
      ],
      "id": "en-circumscribe-en-verb-e1VXh1a5",
      "links": [
        [
          "geometry",
          "geometry"
        ],
        [
          "small",
          "small"
        ],
        [
          "circle",
          "circle"
        ],
        [
          "sphere",
          "sphere"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(geometry) To draw the smallest circle or higher-dimensional sphere that has (a polyhedron, polygon, etc.) in its interior."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "geometry",
        "mathematics",
        "sciences"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "opisvam",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "word": "описвам"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "word": "circumscriure"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "word": "opsat"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "et",
          "lang": "Estonian",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "word": "piiritlema"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "word": "piirtää ympäri"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "word": "piirtää ympyrä monikulmion kärkien kautta"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "word": "circonscrire"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "opisywać"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "opisać"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "word": "circunscrever"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "očérčivatʹ",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "оче́рчивать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "očertítʹ",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "очерти́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "opísyvatʹ",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "опи́сывать"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "23 3 74",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "opisátʹ",
          "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "описа́ть"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɜː.kəm.skɹaɪb/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɝ.kəm.skɹaɪb/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-circumscribe.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/10/En-us-circumscribe.ogg/En-us-circumscribe.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/En-us-circumscribe.ogg"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-circumscribe.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d7/En-au-circumscribe.ogg/En-au-circumscribe.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/En-au-circumscribe.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-aɪb"
    }
  ],
  "word": "circumscribe"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms derived from Latin",
    "English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European root *(s)kreybʰ-",
    "English terms prefixed with circum-",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 2 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Requests for review of Romansch translations",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪb",
    "Rhymes:English/aɪb/3 syllables",
    "Terms with Bulgarian translations",
    "Terms with Catalan translations",
    "Terms with Czech translations",
    "Terms with Danish translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Estonian translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with French translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Hebrew translations",
    "Terms with Ido translations",
    "Terms with Norwegian Nynorsk translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Romanian translations",
    "Terms with Romansch translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "circumscribability"
    },
    {
      "word": "circumscribable"
    },
    {
      "word": "circumscriber"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*(s)kreybʰ-"
      },
      "expansion": "",
      "name": "root"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "circumscrībō"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin circumscrībō",
      "name": "der"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "circum-",
        "3": "scribe"
      },
      "expansion": "By surface analysis, circum- + scribe",
      "name": "surf"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Latin circumscrībō, from circum (“around”) + scrībō (“write”). By surface analysis, circum- + scribe.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "circumscribes",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "circumscribing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "circumscribed",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "circumscribed",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "circumscribe (third-person singular simple present circumscribes, present participle circumscribing, simple past and past participle circumscribed)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "circumscribed"
    },
    {
      "word": "circumscript"
    },
    {
      "word": "circumscription"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "To draw a line around; to encircle."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "draw",
          "draw"
        ],
        [
          "around",
          "around"
        ],
        [
          "encircle",
          "encircle"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Asking for an Invitation”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 29:",
          "text": "\"Well, I promise you to circumscribe her conquests as much as possible by extending my own,\" returned Henrietta. \"It will be an easy task; for Miss Churchill does not do 'the honours of her eyes.' I often tell her her beauty is quite wasted upon her.\"",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36:",
          "text": "It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: […]; perhaps to moralise on the oneness or fragility of the planet, or to see humanity for the small and circumscribed thing that it is; […].",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To limit narrowly; to restrict."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "limit",
          "limit"
        ],
        [
          "restrict",
          "restrict"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Geometry"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To draw the smallest circle or higher-dimensional sphere that has (a polyhedron, polygon, etc.) in its interior."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "geometry",
          "geometry"
        ],
        [
          "small",
          "small"
        ],
        [
          "circle",
          "circle"
        ],
        [
          "sphere",
          "sphere"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(geometry) To draw the smallest circle or higher-dimensional sphere that has (a polyhedron, polygon, etc.) in its interior."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "geometry",
        "mathematics",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɜː.kəm.skɹaɪb/",
      "tags": [
        "UK"
      ]
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈsɝ.kəm.skɹaɪb/",
      "tags": [
        "US"
      ]
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-circumscribe.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/1/10/En-us-circumscribe.ogg/En-us-circumscribe.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/En-us-circumscribe.ogg"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-au-circumscribe.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/d/d7/En-au-circumscribe.ogg/En-au-circumscribe.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/En-au-circumscribe.ogg"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-aɪb"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "očertavam",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "очертавам"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "okrǎžavam",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "окръжавам"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "obmalovat"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "obkroužit"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "omskrive"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "omcirkelen"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "ümbritsema"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "ympyröidä"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "circonscrire"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "einkreisen"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "roman": "takhám",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "תחם"
    },
    {
      "code": "io",
      "lang": "Ido",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "cirkumskribar"
    },
    {
      "code": "nn",
      "lang": "Norwegian Nynorsk",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "omskrive"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "obwieść"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "okrążyć"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "circunscrever"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "circular"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "circumscrie"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "opísyvatʹ",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "опи́сывать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "opisátʹ",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "описа́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "circunscribir"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "to draw a line around; encircle",
      "word": "omskriva"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "ograničavam",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "ограничавам"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "circumscriure"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "ohraničit"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "omezit"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "beperken"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "limiteren"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "kitsendama"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "rajoittaa"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "circonscrire"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "eingrenzen"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "roman": "higbíl",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "הגביל"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "ograniczyć"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "circunscrever"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "restringir"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "delimitar"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "ograníčivatʹ",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "ограни́чивать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "ograníčitʹ",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "ограни́чить"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "circunscribir"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "begränsa"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "kringskära"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "to limit narrowly; restrict",
      "word": "kringgärda"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "opisvam",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "word": "описвам"
    },
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "word": "circumscriure"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "word": "opsat"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "word": "piiritlema"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "word": "piirtää ympäri"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "word": "piirtää ympyrä monikulmion kärkien kautta"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "word": "circonscrire"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "opisywać"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "opisać"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "word": "circunscrever"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "očérčivatʹ",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "оче́рчивать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "očertítʹ",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "очерти́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "opísyvatʹ",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "опи́сывать"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "opisátʹ",
      "sense": "to draw a circle, sphere, or higher-dimensional ball",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "описа́ть"
    }
  ],
  "word": "circumscribe"
}

Download raw JSONL data for circumscribe meaning in English (11.2kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-01-10 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-01-01 using wiktextract (df33d17 and 4ed51a5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.