circumscribe

IPA/ˈsɜːkəmskraɪb/
KK[sˌɚkəmskrˈaɪb]IPA/ˈsɜːrkəmskraɪb/

circumscribe — verb

  • circumscribepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • circumscribeshe / she / it
  • circumscribedpast simple
  • circumscribing-ing form

1. to set clear limits on something such as power, freedom, or action, preventing i

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to set clear limits on something such as power, freedom, or action, preventing it from going beyond those limits.

例句

The new regulations circumscribed the activities of the logging company near the national park.

circumscribe + noun phrase (activities)

Asher felt that the tight deadline circumscribed his ability to deliver careful, well-researched work.

同義詞
  • restrict

    less formal and more common in everyday speech; circumscribe carries a stronger sense of deliberate boundary-setting

  • limit

    the most general and neutral term; circumscribe is more formal and suggests drawing a precise boundary

  • confine

    can imply physical containment; circumscribe is used for abstract limits

  • constrain

    suggests pressure or force that restricts; circumscribe implies a clear, often official, boundary

反義詞
  • expand

    to increase in scope or size

  • broaden

    to make wider or more inclusive

文法句型

circumscribe + noun phrase (power/role/freedom)

be circumscribed + by + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used in passive constructions (be circumscribed by). The subject is typically an external force such as a law, rule, budget, or policy; the object is usually an abstract concept such as power, freedom, role, ability, or scope.

常見錯誤

❌The law circumscribed the criminal.
✅The law circumscribed the power of the police.
💡Circumscribe takes an abstract limit on actions, not a person.
❌My parents circumscribed me from going out.
✅My parents circumscribed my freedom by setting a strict curfew.
💡The object is the freedom or action being limited, not the person directly.

2. In geometry, to put one shape around another so the outer shape touches the inne

2.動詞及物C1
釋義

In geometry, to put one shape around another so the outer shape touches the inner one at specific points — especially a circle drawn around a polygon.

例句

The geometry teacher asked the class to circumscribe a circle around the given triangle.

circumscribe + circle + around + shape

A square circumscribes the circle, touching it at the midpoint of each side.

同義詞
  • encircle

    a more general term for surrounding; circumscribe is specifically geometric and mathematical

  • surround

    everyday word without the technical precision of circumscribe

反義詞
  • inscribe

    to draw a shape inside another shape so that the inner shape touches the outer one

文法句型

circumscribe + noun phrase (shape) + around + noun phrase (shape)

circumscribe + a + shape name

用法筆記

This is a technical term used mainly in geometry and mathematics education. It is the opposite of 'inscribe', which means to draw a shape inside another shape so that the inner shape touches the outer one.

常見錯誤

❌I circumscribed a circle inside the triangle.
✅I circumscribed a circle around the triangle.
💡Circumscribe means to draw the outer shape around the inner one, not inside.
❌She circumscribed the square with red ink.
✅She circumscribed a circle around the square.
💡The verb is used for drawing one geometric figure around another, not for marking any shape with a pen.