con·strain [ kən stráyn ](past and past participlecon·strained, present participlecon·strain·ing, 3rd person present singularcon·strains)
transitive verb
Definition:
1. force somebody to act: to force somebody to do something, especially through pressure of circumstances or a sense of obligation Many companies have been constrained to lay off workers.
2. restrict somebody or something: to limit or restrict somebody or something, especially to prevent the free expression of something The industry has been constrained by skill shortages.
3. restrain somebody or something: to hold somebody or something back from an action
(
literary
)
We felt constrained by the presence of the others.
[14th century. Via Old French constraindre< Latin constringere "bind tightly together" < stringere "draw tight"]
