constrain, v.
(kənˈstreɪn)
Forms: 4 constrane, 4–5 -streign(e, -straygne, 4–6 -streyn(e, -strayn(e, 4–7 -strein(e, (5 -stryne), 5–6 north. -strene, 6 Sc. -stranȝe, 5–7 -straine, 6– -strain. pa. pple. 4–5 constreint, 5–6 -straynte, 6 Sc. -strane.
[ad. OF. constreindre, -aindre, ppl. stem constreign-, -aign- (in mod.F. contraindre, It. costrignere, constringere):—L. constring-ĕre to tie tightly together, compress by tying, f. con- together + stringĕre to draw tight.]
1. trans. To force, compel, oblige: a. a person to do anything. (The usual const.)
| c 1386 Chaucer Melib. ¶914 It constreigneth me to do yow grace and mercy. a 1400 Cursor M. Insertion p. 990 Bot þai constrayned [MS. -oyned] him to dwelle, þat he no farrer might. c 1430 Life St. Kath. (1884) 11 Þese iiij notable þynges moste nedes constreyne ȝow to enclyne to oure ententes. 1538 Starkey England ii. iv. 123 Constreynyd to lerne the Latyn tong. 1606 G. W[oodcocke] tr. Hist. Ivstine 67 a, Power..to constraine them delyuer that by force. 1607 Shakes. Cor. v. iii. 100 Since that thy sight..Constraines them weepe. 1758 S. Hayward Serm. xvi. 479 He never constrained them to walk in the paths of iniquity. 1818 Cruise Digest (ed. 2) V. 145 A writ issues to the sheriff..to constrain the party to appear. |
b. a person to (into) a course of action, state, place, etc.
| c 1386 Chaucer Clerk's T. 471 Though I do thing to which I am constreynit. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. vi. 54 Men sholde constreyne no clerke to knauene werkes. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. II. 652 Suppois natuir constranȝe him thairto. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World ii. 354 They fled into the Woods, fearing to be constrained to the Plough. 1790 Cowper Rec. Mother's Picture 86, I should ill requite thee, to constrain Thy unbound spirit into bonds again. 1840 Mrs. Browning Drama of Exile, And the elements shall boldly All your dust to dust constrain. |
c. with simple object.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter xxvii. 10 With þaire fre wil, noght constraynd. c 1386 Chaucer Frankl. T. 41 Wommen of kynde desiren libertee And nat to been constreyned as a thral. 1535 Coverdale 2 Kings ii. 17 Neuertheles they constrayned him, tyll he was ashamed, and sayde: Let them go. 1611 Bible 2 Cor. v. 14 For the loue of Christ constreineth vs. |
d. absol. (without direct object.)
| c 1340 Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1496 Ȝe ar stif innoghe to constrayne wyth strenkþe, ȝif yow likez. 1586 Cogan Haven Health ccxi. (1636) 213 Sometimes if hunger constrained, they would double their commons. 1717 Pope Ep. to Jervas 67 Led by some rule, that guides, but not constrains. 1873 Lowell Among my Bks. Ser. ii. 279 The necessities of metre would naturally constrain to such forms. |
e. Dynamics. To restrict the motion of (a body or particle) to a certain course, e.g. along a fixed curve.
| 1834 Whewell (title), On the Motion of Points constrained and resisted. 1856 Tait & Steele Dynamics of Particle (1871) 181 A particle is constrained to move on a given smooth plane curve, under the action of given forces in the plane of the curve. Ibid. 193 If the particle be constrained by a circular tube. Ibid. (Contents) 15 String constrained by pulley. |
2. To compel or enforce (an action, etc.); to bring about by compulsion or of necessity.
| 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. v. vi, Other vowes constraine another course. 1603 Philotus (1835) 10 It is vnpossible that loue should be constrained, where affection breedes not likyng. 1614 Stirling Dooms-day 8th Houre (R.), O! what strange things..Could this man tell, amazement to constraine? a 1679 Earl of Orrery Hen. V, i, 'Twas a Crime To punish what you did constrain from him. 1725 Pope Odyss. i. 22 Calypso in her caves constrain'd his stay. 1741 Watts Improv. Mind (1801) 227 Where there is not sufficient testimony to constrain our assent. 1800 Addison Amer. Law Rep. 2 The..constrained presumption, that the child whose death was concealed, was killed by the mother. |
† 3. To force out; to produce by effort, ‘to produce in opposition to nature’ (J.). Obs.
| 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1673) 183 They rub their udders with Nettles untill they constrain bloud. a 1687 Waller (J.), In this northern tract our hoarser throats Utter unripe and ill constrained notes. |
† b. To force, assume or produce by straining (any behaviour or expression of feeling). Obs.
| c 1400 Rom. Rose 5316 Which desire is so constreyned That it is but wille feyned. 1605 Shakes. Lear ii. ii. 103 This is some Fellow, Who..doth affect A saucy roughnes, and constraines the garb Quite from his Nature. 1702 Steele Funeral i. (1734) 15 Could all those Shrieks, those Swoonings, that rising falling Bosom be constrain'd? 1725 Pope Odyss. i. 490 [He] constrain'd a smile, and thus ambiguous spoke. |
† 4. refl. To exert or strain oneself. Obs. rare.
| c 1510 Gesta Rom. 430 Whiche this yonge damosell seynge, constreyned herselfe, and ranne so fast, tyll at the last she had hym at a vauntage agayne. |
† 5. a. To take by force, force to surrender. Obs.
| 1699 Dryden Ep. to J. Driden 153 Namur subdu'd is England's palm alone; The rest besieg'd, but we constrain'd the town. |
† b. To violate, force. Obs.
| 1588 Shakes. Tit. A. v. ii. 178 Her spotlesse Chastity, Inhumaine Traytors, you constrain'd and for'st. |
† 6. To press hard upon, straiten, reduce to straits; to oppress, afflict, distress. Obs.
| c 1450 Merlin iv. 65 The grete peyne that he was Inne for the love of Ygerne, that so hym constrayned that he myght nother ete ne slepe. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccxxxiv. 328 He had dayly great complayntes made to hym..wherwith his hart was sore constrayned for displeasure. c 1532 G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 95 To constrayne, opprimer. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. (1884) 27 That necessitie constrayne thame nocht quha ar within..this Ile hes a pasture..that may feid sum wethiris. 1859 Tennyson Geraint & Enid 716 But since our fortune slipt from sun to shade..cruel need Constrain'd us, but a better time has come. |
† 7. To compress into small compass; to contract. Obs. rare.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. i. i. 5 Þe stature of hir was of a doutous iugement, for sumtyme sche constreyned and schronk hir seluen lyche to þe comune mesure of men. |
8. To confine forcibly, keep in bonds, imprison.
| 1382 Wyclif Ezek. xxxi. 15 Y..forbedde the floodis of hym, and constreinede many watris. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. iv. 15 With hundred yron chaines he did him bind, And hundred knots, that did him sore constraine. 1612 Drayton Polyolb. Notes to Song ix. 145 The South-west wind constrained betwene two hils on both sides of the lake. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 634 He binds in Chains The drowzy Prophet, and his Limbs constrains. a 1732 Gay (J.), How the strait stays the slender waste constrain? 1821 Shelley Epipsych. 398 The walls are high, the gates are strong,..—but true love never yet Was thus constrained. 1879 Butcher & Lang Odyssey 7 And hard men constrain him, wild folk that hold him..sore against his will. |
† b. To check, stop, staunch. Obs.
| c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. (MS. A) 66 If þe blood come fro grete veynes he mai nouȝt so sumtyme be constreyned. Ibid. 68 If..þou maist not sowde þe arterie ne þe veyne ne þou maist not constreyne þe blood. |
c. To press or clasp tightly in one's arms. poet.
| 1697 Dryden (J.), When..The Tyrian hugs and fonds thee on her breast, And with sweet kisses in her arms constrains. 1861 Temple & Trevor Tannhäuser 27 And all for joy constrain'd him to his breast. |
d. fig. To restrain within bounds, to limit.
| a 1618 Raleigh (J.), Overweak to resist the first inclination of evil, or after, when it became habitual, to constrain it. 1708 Rowe Royal Convert iii. (1766) 44 Constrain your temper, Sir; be false and meet her With her own sex's arts. 1878 Morley Condorcet 36 It was impossible..to constrain within prescribed limits the activity. |
† 9. = constringe, constrict. Obs.
| 1398 [see constraining ppl. a. 2]. c 1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. (MS. A) 77 Olde woundis þat ben maad..of to greet cold constreynynge. Ibid. 105. Ibid. 263 If þe spasme come..þat wole constryne þe tunge inward. 1586 Cogan Haven Health cxiv. (1636) 115 Services..are..to be eaten after meat, to constraine and close up the stomacke. 1599 Hakluyt Voy. II. ii. 335 Vehement heate resolueth the radicall moysture of mens bodies, as colde constraineth and preserueth the same. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 430 When Winter Frosts constrain the Field with Cold. |
10. To subject to restraint of behaviour. rare.
| a 1745 Swift Directions to Footman (Seager), Leave the company to converse more freely, without being constrained by your presence. 1847 Emerson Repr. Men, Montaigne Wks. (Bohn) I. 343, I..think..old friends who do not constrain me..the most suitable. |