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Definition of restraint noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

      

    restraint

     noun
    noun
    NAmE//rɪˈstreɪnt//
     
     
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  1. 1[countable, usually plural] restraint (on somebody/something) a rule, a fact, an idea, etc. that limits or controls what people can do The government has imposed export restraints on some products. social restraints on drinking alcohol Thesauruslimit
    • restriction
    • control
    • constraint
    • restraint
    • limitation
    These are all words for something that limits what you can do or what can happen.
    • limit the greatest or smallest amount of something that is allowed:The government has set strict limits on spending. the speed limit
    • restriction (somewhat formal) a rule or law that limits what you can do:There are no restrictions on the amount of money you can withdraw.
    • control (often in compounds) the act of limiting or managing something; a method of doing this:crowd control
    • constraint (somewhat formal) a fact or decision that limits what you can do:The agency is operating under severe budget constraints.
    • restraint (somewhat formal) a decision, a rule, an idea, etc. that limits what you can do; the act of limiting something because it is necessary or sensible to do so:The new law has imposed restraints on exports to Russia.
    • limitation the act or process of limiting something; a rule, fact, or condition that limits something:They would resist any limitation of their powers.
    restriction, constraint, restraint, or limitation?These are all things that limit what you can do. A restriction is a rule or law that is made by someone in authority. A constraint is something that exists rather than something that is made, although it may exist as a result of someone's decision. A restraint is also something that exists: it can exist outside yourself, as the result of someone else's decision; but it can also exist inside you, as a fear of what other people may think or as your own feeling about what is acceptable:moral/social/cultural restraints. A limitation is more general and can be a rule that someone makes or a fact or condition that exists.Patterns
    • limits/restrictions/controls/constraints/restraints/limitations on something
    • limits/limitations to something
    • severe limits/restrictions/controls/constraints/restraints/limitations
    • tight limits/restrictions/controls/constraints
    • to impose/remove limits/restrictions/controls/constraints/restraints/limitations
    • to ease/lift restrictions/controls/constraints/restraints
  2. 2[uncountable] the act of controlling or limiting something because it is necessary or sensible to do so wage restraint They said that they would fight without restraint (= completely freely) for what they wanted.
  3. 3[uncountable] the quality of behaving calmly and with control synonym self-control The police appealed to the crowd for restraint. He exercised considerable restraint in ignoring the insults.
  4. 4[uncountable] (formal) the use of physical force to control someone who is behaving in a violent way the physical restraint of prisoners
  5. 5[countable] (formal) a type of seat belt or safety device Children must use an approved child restraint or adult seat belt.
See restraint in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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