confines

Everyday

1. The edges or limits of a place: «within the confines of the school grounds». tree →
2. The limits of an idea, rule or activity: «within the confines of the law». tree →

In the lessons

In school rules and safety talks: «Pupils must stay within the confines of the playground». In stories, characters long to escape «the confines» of a small room, a prison or a dull life. Phrases: «within the confines of», «beyond the confines of», «the narrow confines of».

Examples

• Pupils must stay within the confines of the school grounds at lunch. tree →
• The puppy was happy to escape the confines of its crate. tree →
• In the narrow confines of the cave, we had to crawl. tree →
• Artists like to work beyond the confines of the usual rules. tree →
• Everything must be done within the confines of the law. tree →
• The fox lived within the confines of the city park. tree →

Note

Always plural and usually with «the»: «the confines», never «a confine». Stress on the first syllable: CON-fines (unlike the verb con-FINE). It is a formal or written word; in speech people say «inside» or «the limits of».

In Jewish tradition

Here it means the outer edge or boundary of the world, where light meets darkness.

Interpretation. Tradition reads this as God setting limits on creation, a boundary between day and night.

Examples

• He hath described a boundary upon the face of the waters, unto the confines of light and darkness. (Writings JOB.26.10, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Always plural and usually with «the»: «the confines», never «a confine». Stress on the first syllable: CON-fines (unlike the verb con-FINE). It is a formal or written word; in speech people say «inside» or «the limits of».