limitations
limitations — noun
1. the action of putting a rule, boundary, or upper cap on something to control how
the action of putting a rule, boundary, or upper cap on something to control how much or how far it can go
The city council voted for a limitation on the number of new buildings in the historic district.
limitation on + noun phrase
Kavita's contract includes a limitation on how much her rent can increase each year.
There is no legal limitation on the amount of cash you can bring into the country.
The limitation of water usage during the summer helped the town avoid a serious shortage.
- restriction
more common in everyday speech; 'restriction' often feels stronger and more official
- curb
implies an active effort to hold something back; slightly more formal
- cap
specifically an upper limit on amount, common in financial and numerical contexts
- expansion
the opposite of restricting — allowing more rather than less
文法句型
limitation on/to [noun]
用法筆記
Frequently paired with the prepositions 'on' or 'to' to specify what is being restricted. This sense is countable — you can say 'a limitation' or 'limitations'.
常見錯誤
2. the uncountable state or condition of having natural or inbuilt boundaries that
the uncountable state or condition of having natural or inbuilt boundaries that prevent full performance — the general quality of being limited in ability, size, or capacity, rather than a specific rule or externally imposed factor
The limitation of the small kitchen became clear when Amara tried to cook for twelve guests.
the limitation of [noun] — inherent capacity limit
Deepak felt the limitation of his wheelchair when the museum had no ramp at the entrance.
The limitation of training on an old laptop became clear when Mei tried to edit high-resolution video files.
Living in a tiny apartment taught Sofia the limitation of having very little storage space.
The limitation of working with old machinery meant Yuki produced only half the usual number of parts per shift.
- restrictedness
rare; mainly used in academic writing
- confinement
stronger, often physical; suggests being shut in
- freedom
the opposite of being limited — having full ability to act or grow
文法句型
the limitation of [noun/gerund]
用法筆記
Uncountable — 'the limitation of [something]' describes the general condition of being inherently restricted. Subject is typically a thing or capacity with natural constraints (a person's ability, a tool's design, a space's size). Distinguish from sense 3, which points to a specific countable rule or factor rather than an inherent state.
常見錯誤
3. a particular rule, requirement, or condition that creates a countable boundary —
a particular rule, requirement, or condition that creates a countable boundary — a concrete factor that can be pointed to individually as something that limits what someone can do or what can happen
One major limitation of the study was that it only included fifty participants from one city.
one/major limitation of — specific countable factor
Budget limitations forced the school to cancel the after-school music programme.
The competition had a clear limitation that each entry could not exceed eight hundred words.
Time limitations meant that the team could only test three out of the five planned designs.
The main limitation of this camera is its battery, which dies after about two hours of recording.
The rental agreement included a limitation that prevented Wang from keeping pets in the apartment.
- drawback
more informal; focuses on the negative consequence rather than the boundary itself
- shortcoming
highlights a failure to meet a standard; often used about people's abilities
- weakness
broader; can refer to character, design, or performance
- constraint
more formal; suggests an external force that limits options
文法句型
a limitation / limitations (countable)
[subject] has/its limitation(s)
用法筆記
The most common and flexible sense. Almost always used when pointing out a specific thing that a person, system, or situation cannot do well or go beyond. The plural 'limitations' is especially common — 'the limitations of the system', 'his limitations as a leader'. Unlike sense 2, this sense names a concrete countable shortcoming or boundary rather than the general inherent state of being limited.
常見錯誤
4. a period fixed by law within which someone must begin a legal case or face losin
a period fixed by law within which someone must begin a legal case or face losing the right to sue
The lawyer told Emma that the statute of limitations for the accident had already expired.
statute of limitations — fixed legal term
Different countries have different limitation periods for claiming unpaid wages.
Because the fraud was discovered late, the court extended the usual six-year limitation period.
The judge dismissed the case since the limitation for filing a property dispute had run out in March.
- prescription period
used in civil-law legal systems (e.g. France, Taiwan); equivalent concept
- time bar
informal legal term; 'the claim is time-barred' means the limitation period has run out
文法句型
statute of limitations
limitation period
用法筆記
Almost always appears in legal contexts. The most common fixed phrase is 'statute of limitations'. 'Limitation period' is used to name the specific duration allowed for a given type of case. This sense is distinct from senses 1-3 and is never used outside formal legal writing.