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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary lim·it
ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Anglo-French limite, from Latin limit-, limes boundary DATE 14th century 1. a. something that bounds, restrains, or confines b. the utmost extent 2. a. a geographic or political boundary b. plural : the place enclosed within a boundary : bounds 3. limitation 4. a determining feature or differentia in logic 5. a prescribed maximum or minimum amount, quantity, or number: as a. the maximum quantity of game or fish that may be taken legally in a specified period b. a maximum established for a gambling bet, raise, or payoff 6. a. a number whose numerical difference from a mathematical function is arbitrarily small for all values of the independent variables that are sufficiently close to but not equal to given prescribed numbers or that are sufficiently large positively or negatively b. a number that for an infinite sequence of numbers is such that ultimately each of the remaining terms of the sequence differs from this number by less than any given positive amount 7. something that is exasperating or intolerable • lim·it·less·ly adverb • lim·it·less·ness noun
transitive verb DATE 14th century 1. to assign certain limits to : prescribe reserved the right to limit use of the land 2. a. to restrict the bounds or limits of the specialist can no longer limit himself to his specialty b. to curtail or reduce in quantity or extent we must limit the power of aggressors • lim·it·er noun Synonyms. limit , restrict , circumscribe , confine mean to set bounds for. limit implies setting a point or line (as in time, space, speed, or degree) beyond which something cannot or is not permitted to go visits are limited to 30 minutes restrict suggests a narrowing or tightening or restraining within or as if within an encircling boundary laws intended to restrict the freedom of the press circumscribe stresses a restriction on all sides and by clearly defined boundaries the work of the investigating committee was carefully circumscribed confine suggests severe restraint and a resulting cramping, fettering, or hampering our choices were confined by finances English Etymology limit limit (n.) late 14c., "boundary, frontier," from O.Fr . limite "a boundary," from L. limitem (nom. limes) "a boundary, embankment between fields, border," related to limen "threshold." Colloquial sense of "the very extreme, the greatest degree imaginable" is from 1904. The verb is late 14c., from http://O.Fr O.Fr . limiter, from L. limitare "to bound, limit, fix," from limes.http://O.Fr Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7 ☞ limit limit / 5limit / noun1. ~ (to sth) a point at which sth stops being possible or existing 限度；限制: There is a limit to the amount of pain we can bear. 我们能忍受的疼痛是有限度的。 The team performed to the limit of its capabilities. 这个队已竭尽全力。 She knew the limits of her power. 她知道自己的权限。 to push / stretch / test sb / sth to the limit 推/拉 / 考查某人(或某物)达到限度 His arrogance knew (= had) no limits. 他极其傲慢。 2. ~ (on sth) the greatest or smallest amount of sth that is allowed 极限；限量；限额 SYN restriction :
a time / speed / age limit 时间/速度/年龄限制 The EU has set strict limits on levels of pollution. 欧盟对污染程度作了严格的限制。 They were travelling at a speed that was double the legal limit. 他们正以两倍于法定限速的速度行驶。 You can't drive—you're over the limit (= you have drunk more alcohol than is legal when driving). 你饮酒过量,不能驾车。 3. the furthest edge of an area or a place (地区或地方的)境界,界限,范围: We were reaching the limits of civilization. 我们快到蛮荒地界了。 the city limits (= the imaginary line which officially divides the city from the area outside) 城市境界 ⇨ see also off-limits IDIOMS ▪ be the 'limit (old-fashioned, informal) to be extremely annoying 极其令人讨厌 ▪ within 'limits to some extent; with some restrictions 在某种程度上；有一定限制: I'm willing to help, within limits. 我愿意帮忙,可有一定的限度。 ⇨ more at sky verb[VN] 1. ~ sth (to sth) to stop sth from increasing beyond a particular amount or level 限制；限定 SYN restrict :
measures to limit carbon dioxide emissions from cars 限制汽车二氧化碳排放的措施 The amount of money you have to spend will limit your choice. 你要消费的金额限制着你的选择。 2. ~ yourself / sb (to sth) to restrict or reduce the amount of sth that you or sb can have or use 限量；减量: Families are limited to five free tickets each. 每户限发四张免费票。 I've limited myself to 1 000 calories a day to try and lose weight. 我为了减肥,限定自己每天摄入 1 000 卡的热量。 PHRASAL VERBS ▪ 'limit sth to sb / sth [usually passive] to make sth exist or happen only in a particular place or within a particular group 使(某事只在某地或某群体内)存在(或发生): Violent crime is not limited to big cities. 暴力犯罪并不局限于大城市。 The teaching of history should not be limited to dates and figures. 教授历史不应该局限于讲年代和人物。 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English limit noun ADJ. outer | northern, southern, etc. | three-mile, etc. | absolute I can offer you £20 but that's my absolute limit. | higher, maximum, upper | lower | strict, stringent, tight The application must be made within a strict time limit. | age, speed, time, weight There's a weight limit on the bridge. | physical | safety | budget, cash, credit, earnings, financial, income, overdraft | legal, prescribed, statutory | recommended VERB + LIMIT reach | cross | establish, impose, place, put, set Central government has set a limit on spending by local councils. | increase, raise | lower | exceed exceeding the speed limit | push sb to She pushed me to the limit of my abilities. PREP. above a/the ~ The level of radioactivity in the soil was found to be above recommended limits. | at a/the ~ I was almost at the limits of my patience. | below a/the ~ The price fell below the lower limit. The trees are found only below a limit of 500 metres. | beyond a/the ~ Heat levels rose beyond the recommended limits. fishing beyond the twelve-mile limit | on a/the ~ islands on the outer limit of the continent | over a/the ~ He'd been drinking and was well over the legal limit. | up to a/the ~ You can buy cigarettes up to a limit of 200 per person. | within a/the ~ They did well within the limits of their knowledge. There was no school within a limit of ten miles. | within ~s The children can do what they like, within limits. | without ~ Banks may buy bills of exchange without limit. | ~ on There's a limit on the number of tickets you can buy. | ~ to There's a limit to what we can do to help. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus-11th Edition n. Function: noun 1 a material or immaterial point beyond which something does not or cannot extend FF1C;there seemed no limit to the problems they facedFF1E; Synonyms: bound, confine(s), end, limitation, term; compare ENVIRONS 1 Related Words: circumscription, confinement, restriction, termination; border, brim, brink, edge, margin, rim, verge 2 limits plural Synonyms: ENVIRONS 1, bound(s), boundary, compass, confine(s), precinct(s), purlieus 3 Synonyms: EXTREME 2, extremityn. Function: verb 1 Synonyms: DEMARCATE 1, bound, delimit, delimitate, determine, mark (out), measure 2 to prescribe or serve as a restricting boundary FF1C;limited the naughty child to the house for three daysFF1E; FF1C;ignorance that limits spiritual growthFF1E; Synonyms: bar, circumscribe, confine, delimit, delimitate, prelimit, restrict Related Words: constrict, contract, lessen, narrow, pinch; check, curb, hinder, inhibit, restrain; appoint, assign, define, prescribe, set Contrasted Words: enlarge, expand, extend, increase, widen; develop, grow Antonyms: broaden Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged Search result show the entry is found in: liability limit , or limit bid , or limit dextrin , or limit gage , or limit of accommodation , or limit of liability , or limit order , or limit switch , or load limit , or lunar ecliptic limit , or bag limit , or pot limit , or proportional limit , or roche limit , or series limit , or solar ecliptic limit , or speed limit , or three-mile limit , or time limit , or trading limit , or twelve-mile limit , or yard limit , or central limit theorem , or chandrasekhar limit , or limit point , or confidence limit , or dawes' limit , or elastic limit , or amount limit , or endurance limit , or fatigue limit lim·it I. \ˈlimə̇t, usu -ə̇d.+V\ noun (-s) Etymology: Middle English limite, from Middle French, from Latin limit-, limes boundary, limit — more at limb 1. a. : a geographical or political boundary : border , frontier < at the exact northern limit of this valley — American Guide Series: Minnesota > < just outside the three-mile limit — Beverly Smith > — often used in plural < kept within the limits of Detroit — American Guide Series: Michigan > b. limits plural : the place or area enclosed within a boundary : bounds < into the limits of the North they came — John Milton > < the first collegiate foundation in the limits of the present U.S. — K.B.Murdock > 2. a. : something that bounds, restrains, or confines — usually used in plural < simple-minded because of the limits to his experience — Margaret F. Richey > < discover the relationships of meanings within the limits of his form — W.V.O'Connor > < cooperate within limits > b. : the utmost extent : a point beyond which it is impossible to go < pushed to the limit to meet these demands — R.E.Barnaby > < a veteran operator who can be trusted to the limit — Tris Coffin > < the sky's the limit > 3. : limitation < the sadness is without limit — Shakespeare > < her opportunity is practically without limit other than the limitation of her own ability — G.W.Johnson > 4. : a determining feature or differentia in logic 5. : a prescribed maximum or minimum amount, quantity, or number < the store set a limit of five pounds of coffee to a customer during the sale > < suggested lowering the age limit for voting from 21 to 18 > as a. : the maximum quantity of game or fish that may be taken legally in a specified period < so many ducks that limit bags are almost routine among competent hunters — Scott Young > b. (1) : a maximum established for a gambling bet, raise, or payoff < playing blackjack, two cents' limit — Hamilton Basso > (2) : an agreed time for ending a card game < set a limit of 1 a.m. > 6. a. : a number such that the numerical difference between it and mathematical function will be arbitrarily small for all values of the independent variables sufficiently close to but not equal to certain prescribed numbers or sufficiently large positively or negatively < the limit of (x2-1) ÷ (x-1) as x approaches 1 is 2 > b. : a number such that if Sn represents the nth term of an infinite sequence the numerical difference between Sn and the number will be arbitrarily small for n sufficiently large < the limit of the sequence 1/2, 2/3, 3/4, … n/(n+1) as n becomes large is 1 > c. : either of the two numbers substituted in an antiderivative for the independent variable in evaluating a definite integral 7. : the maximum or minimum permissible dimension (as of a machine part or manufactured object) < the plungers and cylinders of the injection system are fitted to extremely close limits — William Landon > 8. : something that is exasperating or intolerable : last straw — used with the < I've seen bad weather, but this is the limit > 9. : the full duration of a ball game or prizefight — used with the < a good pitcher but he couldn't go the limit > < although he went the limit he lost the fight on points > II. transitive verb (-ed/-ing/-s) Etymology: Middle English limiten, from Middle French limiter, from Latin limitare, from limit-, limes boundary, limit 1. : to assign to or within certain limits : fix, constitute, or appoint definitely : allot , prescribe < no end is limited to damned souls — Christopher Marlowe > — now used chiefly in legal terms 2. obsolete : to assign (a duty) to someone < 'tis my limited service — Shakespeare > 3. a. : to set bounds or limits to : confine < limits itself to fresh water — Richard Semon > < must limit itself to functions which are consistent with the needs of collective defense — A.O.Wolfess > < the town is pleasantly limited — William Sansom > < persons whose musical experience is limited — Virgil Thomson > b. : to curtail or reduce in quantity or extent < could limit production and marketing of dairy products — Wall Street Journal > < medical science knows how to limit these evils — C.W.Eliot > 4. archaic : to be or act as a boundary to < a stone wall limits the farm on the west > Synonyms: restrict , circumscribe , confine : limit stresses the fact of existence of boundaries, checks to expansion, or exclusions which either are not passed over or cannot or may not be; it is a general term with less power of suggestion than others in this set < the airplane has possibilities so many that fancy cannot limit them — B.N.Cardozo > < limiting the purposes for which public funds could be appropriated — Americana Annual > restrict may imply a narrow limitation, a more sharp and severe constriction or checking than limit < the decision to restrain French influence … and to restrict it to the frontiers of his own choosing — Hilaire Belloc > < combinations have arisen which restrict the very freedom that Bentham sought to attain — O.W.Holmes †1935 > circumscribe may suggest a bounding circle, often close and narrow, preventing free outward range or activity, in other words, an encompassing restriction < think that the emotional range … of drama is limited and circumscribed by verse — T.S.Eliot > < the Government's … imposition of restrictions and quotas that have circumscribed the conduct of publishing so radically — Times Literary Supplement > confine is the strongest in this set in indicating bounds not to be passed; it suggests close cramping restriction, hindrance by encircling environment, or exclusion seemingly arbitrary or, at any rate, positive < strong congressional leaders have always sought to confine the President to mere administration — Alan Barth > < must confine himself to inferior jobs allotted to his kind — Ruth Benedict > |
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