verb
restrain
rih-STRAYN
verb
1
To hold back or keep someone or something under control.
"Security had to restrain the unruly fan."
"She struggled to restrain her laughter during the ceremony."
2
To limit or place restrictions on something.
"The new law aims to restrain excessive spending by the agency."
How to Use Restrain
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo hold back or keep under control, whether that's a person, an emotion, or spending.
Common pairings
restrain oneself
physically restrain
restrain spending
Word Forms
restrained past tense, restrained past tense, restrains singular, restrains singular
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Etymology
From Old French restreindre, from Latin restringere, "to bind fast, restrict" — the same root that gives us "restrict" and "string."