Library / English Dictionary

LIMIT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The greatest possible degree of something

Example:

to the limit of his ability

Synonyms:

bound; boundary; limit

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

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"):

knife-edge (a narrow boundary)

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)

Derivation:

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

limit (restrict or confine within limits)

limit (decide upon or fix definitely)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The boundary of a specific area

Synonyms:

demarcation; demarcation line; limit

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

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 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"):

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)

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

Sense 4

Meaning:

The greatest amount of something that is possible or allowed

Example:

it is growing rapidly with no limitation in sight

Synonyms:

limit; limitation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

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)

Sense 5

Meaning:

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

Synonyms:

limit; limit point; point of accumulation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting quantities and units of measure

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

indefinite quantity (an estimated quantity)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Final or latest limiting point

Synonyms:

limit; terminal point; terminus ad quem

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

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

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

Derivation:

limit (decide upon or fix definitely)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Place limits on (extent or amount or access)

Example:

limit the time you can spend with your friends

Synonyms:

bound; confine; limit; restrict; throttle; trammel

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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)

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))

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

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:

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

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

Example:

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

Synonyms:

circumscribe; confine to; limit

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

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

Example:

specify the parameters

Synonyms:

define; determine; fix; limit; set; specify

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

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)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Because of the cost and potential negative effects, use of the imaging technique must be limited.

(Stretchable wireless sensor could monitor healing of cerebral aneurysms, National Science Foundation)

The quality of being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme.

(Moderate, NCI Thesaurus)

Find work you are passionate about, and your success will rise so high, it will have no limits.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

This number most likely represents a lower limit, since only 128 odors, in mixtures of 30 or less components, were tested.

(Humans Can Identify More Than 1 Trillion Smells, NIH, US)

A date until which the medical product retains its properties within specified limits, and resists conditions that may affect its stated performance.

(Medical Product Stability Date, NCI Thesaurus)

Various branches of medical practice limited to specialized areas.

(Medical Specialty, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

A question about whether an individual is or has limited their activities due to urination problems.

(Activities Limited by Urination Problems, NCI Thesaurus)

Thus, it produces a self-limiting infection which does not produce symptoms or harm the host.

(ALVAC, NCI Thesaurus)

The clinical use of this agent may be limited by its toxicity profile.

(Alanosine, NCI Thesaurus)

The men are playing with markers. That means the roof is the limit.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)