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Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. v. To draw a line around; encircle.
  2. v. To limit narrowly; restrict.
  3. v. To determine the limits of; define. See Synonyms at limit.
  4. v. To enclose (a polygon or polyhedron) within a configuration of lines, curves, or surfaces so that every vertex of the enclosed object is incident on the enclosing configuration.
  5. v. To erect (such a configuration) around a polygon or polyhedron: circumscribe a circle around a square.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. To write or inscribe around.
  2. To mark out certain bounds or limits for; inclose within certain limits; limit; bound; confine; restrain.
  3. In geometry, to draw around so as to touch at as many points as possible. A curve is said to be circumscribed about a polygon when it passes through every vertex of the latter; a multilateral figure is said to circumscribe or be circumscribed about a curve when its every side is tangent to the curve. The term is also applied simliarly to surfaces. Thus, a cone circumscribes a surface only if every side of it is tangent to that surface.

Wiktionary

  1. v. To draw a line around; to encircle.
  2. v. To limit narrowly; to restrict.
  3. v. To draw the smallest circle or higher-dimensional sphere that has (a polyhedron, polygon, etc.) in its interior.

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. v. to write or engrave around.
  2. v. To inclose within a certain limit; to hem in; to surround; to bound; to confine; to restrain.
  3. v. To draw a line around so as to touch at certain points without cutting. See Inscribe, 5.

WordNet 3.0

  1. v. restrict or confine,
  2. v. to draw a geometric figure around another figure so that the two are in contact but do not intersect
  3. v. draw a line around

Etymologies

  1. Middle English circumscriben, from Latin circumscrībere : circum-, circum- + scrībere, to write; see skrībh- in Indo-European roots.

Examples

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Lists

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Comments

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  • john Yep, the examples engine is in the shop for repairs. When it comes out, it'll drive like the General Lee.

    Which makes Tony Cooter, I think. Mar 2, 2010

  • bilby John et al are tinkering under the hood of the examples engine. Expect lots of steam 'n' cussin' for the time being. Mar 2, 2010

  • yarb Weird! Mar 1, 2010

  • Jeff Hammerbacher The examples don't appear to involve the word "circumscribe". Perhaps I have misunderstood the purpose of that section? Mar 1, 2010

  • slumry to draw a line around Jun 19, 2007

  • slumry to draw a line around Jun 19, 2007

‘circumscribe’ has been looked up 2048 times, loved by 6 people, added to 42 lists, commented on 6 times, and has a Scrabble score of 19.