restrain
/rɪˈstreɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈstreɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈstrān/ (ame, mw)
restrain — verb
- restrainpresent simple I / you / we / they
- restrainshe / she / it
- restrainedpast simple
- restraining-ing form
1. to limit or control the growth, increase, or power of something, especially so t
to limit or control the growth, increase, or power of something, especially so that it does not become too great or too strong.
The central bank raised interest rates to restrain inflation.
restrain + economic variable (inflation, growth, costs)
New environmental rules aim to restrain the amount of waste that factories produce.
A strict budget restrained the department's spending on travel and supplies.
The government passed laws to restrain the growth of online gambling.
Without proper rules, it is hard to restrain the spread of false information.
- limit
more general and neutral; implies setting a boundary rather than actively holding back
- curb
stronger sense of stopping an undesirable trend; often used for costs, violence, or bad habits
- check
suggests slowing down or stopping progress, often used for disease, fire, or population growth
- contain
implies keeping something within boundaries, especially a problem that could spread
文法句型
restrain + noun phrase
常見錯誤
2. to hold back a strong feeling or keep yourself from acting on an urge, especiall
to hold back a strong feeling or keep yourself from acting on an urge, especially when doing so would be unwise or cause problems.
Lucía had to restrain herself from laughing during the solemn ceremony.
restrain + reflexive + from + -ing
Christopher could not restrain his curiosity and peeked into the locked room.
restrain + emotion noun (curiosity, anger, excitement)
Ilan found it hard to restrain his anger when he saw the broken window.
Gita bit her lip to restrain a cry of pain after stubbing her toe.
Emre wanted to argue with his boss but managed to restrain his impatience.
- control
broader meaning; not limited to holding back — can mean managing or directing
- hold back
less formal, more conversational; often used for emotions and tears
- suppress
stronger and more forceful; suggests stopping something completely, sometimes with effort or force
- contain
suggests keeping a feeling inside so it does not affect others
文法句型
restrain + reflexive pronoun + from + -ing
restrain + emotion noun
用法筆記
Frequently used with a reflexive pronoun ('restrain yourself/oneself from doing something') when the subject and object are the same person. When the object is an emotion ('restrain anger/curiosity/excitement'), the focus is on keeping the feeling from becoming visible.
常見錯誤
3. to stop a person or an animal from moving freely or acting in a certain way, esp
to stop a person or an animal from moving freely or acting in a certain way, especially by holding them back with physical force or by using special equipment.
Two police officers had to restrain the woman until she calmed down.
authority figure + physical restraint of a person
The zookeepers carefully restrained the injured deer before treating its wound.
The nurses gently restrained the patient's arm during the injection.
Nicholas and his neighbour helped restrain the dog from running into traffic.
The prisoner was restrained with handcuffs and leg chains during the transfer.
文法句型
restrain + person/animal
passive: be restrained
用法筆記
The subject is usually a person in a position of authority (police, guard, doctor, parent) or a device designed to limit movement. The passive construction ('someone was restrained') is common in formal and legal contexts.