Constrain

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: con=strain

CIDE DICTIONARY

Constrain, v. t. [OF. constraindre, F. contrainde, L. constringere; con- + stringere to draw tight. See Strain, and. cf. Constrict, Constringe.].

•  To secure by bonds; to chain; to bond or confine; to hold tightly; to constringe.  [1913 Webster]

  "He binds in chains
  The drowsy prophet, and his limbs constrains."  [1913 Webster]

  "When winter frosts constrain the fields with cold."  [1913 Webster]
•  To bring into a narrow compass; to compress.  [1913 Webster]

  "How the strait stays the slender waist constrain."  [1913 Webster]
•  To hold back by force; to restrain; to repress.  [1913 Webster]

  "My sire in caves constrains the winds."  [1913 Webster]
•  To compel; to force; to necessitate; to oblige.  [1913 Webster]

  "The love of Christ constraineth us."  [1913 Webster]

  "I was constrained to appeal unto C"  [1913 Webster]
•  To violate; to ravish.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  To produce in such a manner as to give an unnatural effect; as, a constrained voice.

Syn. -- To compel; force; drive; impel; urge; press.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Constrain, v.tr.
1 compel; urge irresistibly or by necessity.
2 a confine forcibly; imprison. b restrict severely as regards action, behaviour, etc.
3 bring about by compulsion.
4 (as constrained adj.) forced, embarrassed (a constrained voice; a constrained manner).

Derivative

constrainedly adv.

Etymology

ME f. OF constraindre f. L constringere (as com-, stringere strict- tie)

THESAURUS

Constrain

abate, abridge, abstain, aggrieve, allay, alleviate, arrest, assuage, attemper, ban, bank the fire, bar, bastille, bear, bind, bit, blunt, bottle up, box up, bridle, cage, cause, cause to, chasten, check, cloister, coerce, compel, concuss, confine, contain, control, cool, cool off, coop, coop in, coop up, cork up, crib, crowd, crush, curb, curtail, damp, dampen, de-emphasize, deaden, decelerate, deprive, detain, dictate, diminish, disallow, dompt, downplay, drive, dull, encage, enclose, enforce, enjoin, extenuate, fence in, force, govern, grieve, guard, have, hem in, hinder, hold, hold at bay, hold back, hold down, hold fast, hold in, hold in check, hold in custody, hold in leash, hold in restraint, hold up, hurt, immure, impel, impound, incarcerate, inhibit, injure, insist upon, intern, jail, jam, jug, keep, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep in custody, keep in detention, keep under control, keep within bounds, lay, lay under restraint, lenify, lessen, lighten, make, mew, mew up, mitigate, moderate, modulate, necessitate, oblige, obtund, pain, palliate, pen, pen up, play down, pound, prison, prohibit, pull, pull in, push, quod, rail in, reduce, reduce the temperature, refrain, rein, rein in, restrain, restrict, retard, retrench, seal up, set back, shackle, shotgun, shut in, shut up, slacken, slow down, smother, snub, sober, sober down, soften, squab, squash, squeeze, squish, stifle, straiten, subdue, suppress, tame, temper, tie, tone down, tune down, underplay, use force upon, wall in, weaken, withhold

ROGET THESAURUS

Constrain

Compulsion

VB compel, force, make, drive, coerce, constrain, enforce, necessitate, oblige, force upon, press, cram down the throat, thrust down the throat, force down the throat, say it must be done, make a point of, insist upon, take no denial, put down, dragoon, extort, wring from, squeeze, put on the squeeze, put on the screws, turn on the screw, drag into, bind, bind over, pin down, tie down, require, tax, put in force, commandeer, restrain.

Restraint

VB restrain, check, put under restraint, lay under restraint, enthral, enthrall, inthral, inthrall, bethral, bethrall, restrict, debar, constrain, coerce, curb, control, hold back, hold from, hold in, hold in check, hold within bounds, keep back, keep from, keep in, keep in check, keep within bounds, hold in leash, hold in leading strings, withhold, keep under, repress, suppress, smother, pull in, rein in, hold, hold fast, keep a tight hand on, prohibit, inhibit, cohibit, enchain, fasten, fetter, shackle, entrammel, bridle, muzzle, hopple, gag, pinion, manacle, handcuff, tie one's hands, hobble, bind hand and foot, swathe, swaddle, pin down, tether, picket, tie down, tie up, secure, forge fetters, disable, hamstring (incapacitate), confine, shut up, shut in, clap up, lock up, box up, mew up, bottle up, cork up, seal up, button up, hem in, bolt in, wall in, rail in, impound, pen, coop, inclose, cage, incage, encage, close the door upon, cloister, imprison, immure, incarcerate, entomb, clap under hatches, lay under hatches, put in irons, put in a strait-waistcoat, throw into prison, cast into prison, put into bilboes, arrest, take up, take charge of, take into custody, take prisoner, take captive, make prisoner, make captive, captivate, lead captive, lead into captivity, send to prison, commit to prison, commit, give in charge, give in custody, subjugate.