Constrained

  • 1Constrained — Con*strained , a. Marked by constraint; not free; not voluntary; embarrassed; as, a constrained manner; a constrained tone. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2constrained — [kən strānd′] adj. 1. compelled; forced; obliged 2. forced and unnatural [a constrained laugh] constrainedly [kənstrān′id lē] adv …

    English World dictionary

  • 3constrained — index arrested (apprehended), bound, controlled (restrained), obligatory Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …

    Law dictionary

  • 4constrained — adj. (formal) (cannot stand alone) constrained to + inf. (we were constrained to act) * * * [kən streɪnd] (formal) (cannot stand alone) constrained to + inf. (we were constrained to act) …

    Combinatory dictionary

  • 5Constrained — Constrain Con*strain , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Constrained}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Constraining}.] [OF. constraindre, F. contrainde, L. constringere; con + stringere to draw tight. See {Strain}, and. cf. {Constrict}, {Constringe}.] 1. To secure by bonds; …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 6constrained — adjective 1 constrained to do sth feeling that you are forced to do something: In the recession companies felt constrained to make job cuts where possible. 2 a constrained smile, manner etc seems too controlled and is not natural constrainedly… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 7constrained — constrainedly /keuhn stray nid lee/, adv. /keuhn straynd /, adj. 1. forced, compelled, or obliged: a constrained confession. 2. stiff or unnatural; uneasy or embarrassed: a constrained manner. [1565 75; CONSTRAIN + ED2] * * * …

    Universalium

  • 8constrained — con|strained [kənˈstreınd] adj be/feel constrained to do sth to feel that you must do something ▪ He felt constrained to accept the invitation …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 9constrained — /kənˈstreɪnd/ (say kuhn straynd) adjective forced; cramped; restrained; stiff or unnatural: a constrained smile; a constrained manner. –constrainedly /kənˈstreɪnədli/ (say kuhn straynuhdlee), adverb …

  • 10constrained — adj. VERBS ▪ be, feel ADVERB ▪ highly, severely, tightly ▪ She felt tightly constrained by her family commitments …

    Collocations dictionary