Constringe

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. to draw together into a compact form or to limit in scope through compression or binding
2. to compress, bind, or restrict something into a smaller or more confined state or condition
3. To cause something to become tighter or more contracted by pulling or drawing inward ; to impose a strong limitation or restraint on something, reducing its extent or freedom

Etymology: "Constringe" comes from Latin "constringere," meaning "to bind tightly together," built from "con-" (together, completely) and "stringere" (to draw tight, bind). That Latin verb is also the ancestor of "constrain," which entered English through Old French and shares the same root, so the two words are close relatives that took different paths into English. The Latin sense of binding or squeezing tight survives almost unchanged in "constringe," which keeps the physical image of drawing something inward until it narrows. The same root gave English "stringent" and "strict," words that likewise describe things pulled taut and made firm.

Synonyms: narrow, contract, shrink, tighten, compress

Antonyms: expand, dilate, loosen, enlarge, release