limit
Word family
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++lim·it1 /ˈlɪmɪt/ ●●● S2 W2 noun [countable] 1 greatest/least allowed 最大/最小的限度LIMIT the greatest or least amount, number, speed etc that is allowed 限度，极限 a 55 mph speed limit 55英里的时速限制limit for There’s no age limit for applicants. 申请者不受年龄限制。limit to/on My wife and I set a limit on how much we spend on clothes. 我和妻子给服装的开支设定了一个限额。above/over/below a limit Pesticide levels in drinking water are already above legal limits in many areas. 许多地区的饮用水中所含杀虫剂浓度已超出法定限度。2 greatest amount possible 可能的最大量 (also limits)LIMIT the greatest possible amount of something that can exist or be obtained 〔现有的或可获取的〕最大量，极限limit of the limits of human knowledge 人类知识的极限 He’d reached the limit of his patience. 他的忍耐到了极限。 Our finances are already stretched to the limit (=we do not have any extra money). 我们的财力已经用到了极限。 There’s no limit to what you can do if you try. 如果你努力的话，成就无可限量。3 place 地方 (also limits)LIMIT the furthest point or edge of a place, often one that must not be passed 〔常指不可以通过的〕界限，边界 He had not been outside the limits of the prison walls for 20 years. 他已经20年没出过监狱高墙了。 The public is not allowed within a 2-mile limit of the missile site. 公众不得进入导弹发射场两英里范围内。 Los Angeles city limits 洛杉矶的市区范围4 off limits FORBID a) beyond the area where someone is allowed to go 禁止入内的 That area of beach was off limits to us ‘city kids’. 我们“城市孩子”不得进入那个沙滩区域。 b) beyond what you are allowed to do or have 不容涉足的 His private life is off limits to the press. 他的私生活不容媒体涉足。5 within limits LIMITwithin the time, level, amount etc considered acceptable 在合理限度内 You can come and go when you want – within limits. 你可以自由来去——但要有分寸。6. be over the limit DRUNKto have drunk more alcohol than is legal or safe for driving 〔驾驶〕饮酒过量7 know your limits informalKNOW somebody to know what you are good at doing and what you are not good at 知道自己的长处和短处 I know my limits. I’m not an administrator. 我有自知之明，我不是搞管理的料。8 have your limits spokenRIGHT/PROPER to have a set of rules about what is reasonable behaviour, and to not accept behaviour that does not follow these rules 有自己的原则 I have my limits. You will not use that kind of nasty language in class. 我有我的原则，你在课堂上不能用那种污秽的语言。 COLLOCATIONSverbsset a limit (also impose a limit formal) 设定限度Set a time limit for the completion of the task. 要给该工作设定完成时限。put a limit on something 给某物设限We have to put a limit on the number of participants. 我们必须限定参与人数。exceed a limit (=go beyond a limit) 超出限定He reported a driver for exceeding the speed limit. 他举报一名司机超速行驶。go over a limit (=go beyond a limit) 超出限度Borrowers who go over the spending limit set by the credit card company are penalised. 借款人若超出信用卡公司设定的消费限额，将受到处罚。ADJECTIVES/NOUN + limitan upper/lower limit (=the highest/lowest amount allowed) 上限/下限There is no upper limit on the amount you can borrow. 你的借款额没有上限。nEnsure the temperature in the aquarium does not fall below the lower limit.a strict limit 严格的限制There are strict limits on spending. 支出有严格的限制。a legal limit (=a limit set by law) 法定限度The alcohol in his blood was four times more than the legal limit. 他血液中的酒精浓度超出法定限度四倍。the speed limit 速度限制Too many people go over the speed limit in residential areas. 有太多人在住宅区内超速。a time limit 时间限制nThe time limit for making a claim is three months.an age limit 年龄限制nThe lower age limit for entering the Royal Marines is sixteen.a weight/height limit 重量/高度限制nThe weight limit per bag is 20 kilos.spending limits 开支限制nThere are strict spending limits imposed by law on all candidates.term limits American English (=limits on how much time a politician can spend in office) 任期年限nShould Senators be subject to term limits? THESAURUSlimit the highest number, speed, temperature etc that is allowed by a law or rule 〔数量、速度、温度等的〕规定限度nHe borrowed money up to the limit that the bank allowed.The speed limit is 65 m.p.h. 限速为65英里/小时。There’s no limit on the amount of money that may be brought into the US. 美国对携款入境的数额没有限制。Pollution levels are over the official limit. 污染水平已超出官方限值。nSome families set limits on how much they spend on each other’s Christmas present.restrictions rules or laws that strictly control what you are allowed to do 〔规章或法律的〕限制，约束Travel restrictions might reduce the spread of the disease. 旅行限制或可减缓疾病传播。nUnions are pressing for restrictions on steel imports from Japan.nBecause of restrictions on reporting, newspapers were not allowed to cover the story.New restrictions have been imposed on immigration. 移民已受到新的限制。limitations limits on what a person or thing is able to do – used especially when you would like to be able to do more 〔对能力或权力的〕制约，限制；局限The president was unwilling to accept limitations on his power. 总统不愿接受对其权力的限制。the limitations of the computer system 计算机系统的局限Hikers should know their physical limitations and not take unnecessary risks. 远足者应了解自身体力极限，不做无谓的冒险。constraints facts or conditions that limit what you can do, for example not having enough time, money etc 〔时间、财力等的〕限制 Financial constraints are forcing many people in their twenties to live with their parents. 限于财力，许多人年满20岁仍不得不和父母同住。The last part of the show had to be cut because of time constraints. 由于时间有限，不得不剪去节目的最后部分。nThe constraints of prison life are sometimes too much for people to bear.nmaximum the largest number or amount that is possible, normal, or allowedClasses have a maximum of twenty students.What’s the maximum you can earn before you have to pay tax?nminimum the smallest number or amount that is possible or allowedHe was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison.Our aim is to reduce the number of accidents to an absolute minimum.nceiling the largest number or amount of something that is officially allowedThere is a ceiling on the amount of foreign investment.Import quotas may rise from the present ceiling of 18.5 million to 20 million.Congress was once again considering raising the federal debt ceiling.Examples from the Corpus
limit• The following cases examine the scope and limits of school authority to regulate different types of student publications.• Unfortunately, this request didn't come within the trust beneficiary limits.• Are you at, or near, your credit limit?• There's no limit on the amount of money that may be brought into the US.• Pollution levels in the water were found to be over the official limit.• Their job is to make sure that no-one flies beyond their own limits and those of the aircraft.• He is prevented from owning more because of both foreign ownership and cross-media ownership limits.• Some families set limits on how much they spend on each other's Christmas present.• The Interstate speed limit is 65 m.p.h.• The speed limit is 65 mph.• Cheltenham Borough Council wants to save the money to meet government spending limits.• I feel that I have pushed the limits of his patience.• He borrowed money up to the limit that the bank allowed.• As cognitive development reaches an upper limit with full attainment of formal operations, so too does affective development.limit to/on• There's a limit on the time you have to take the test.• There are limits to what technology can achieve in the absence of sustained, high-level government interest in agricultural policy.• My purpose has been limited to increasing a level of awareness, rather than attempting to supply solutions.• And even limited to plenitude, they seem only implicitly supportive.• The idea is not new, nor is it limited to the fringes.• It turned out that that impact was not limited to volcanic eruptions.• This method of control is principally limited to geographical or ecological islands and perennial crops.• Everyone has to put limits on their emotional engagement with others - comprehensive engagement would be intolerable.• Are there limits on the amounts the policy will pay during your lifetime?limit of• the limits of human knowledgecity limits• Since then, 1,434 other people have been been killed in the city limits.• People who reside inside the city limits make up 60 percent of the population of the community.• Inside the city limits a prowl car was parked.• I stumbled out of town with barely enough strength to reach the city limits.• From the Bypass east to the city limits, the A71 has been built as a dual carriageway, 7.3 metres wide.• Have a car ready to take me to the city limits.• The would-be acquirer is said to live within the city limits of Santa Clara, California.• The city limits encompassed 91 square miles, and the water bill for the average household was $ 8.limit2 ●●● S3 W2 verb 1 [transitive]LIMIT to stop an amount or number from increasing beyond a particular point 〔在量、数上〕限制，限定 a decision to limit imports of foreign cars 限制进口外国汽车的决定limit something to something Seating is limited to 500. 座位限定在 500个。2 [transitive]PREVENT to stop someone from doing what they want or from developing and improving beyond a particular point 限制，制约〔某人的发展等〕3 be limited to something ONLYto exist or happen only in a particular place, group, or area of activity 局限于某处[团体，范围]→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
limit• Let's limit our discussion to the facts in the report.• As long as the problems being addressed were limited, the degree of acceptable organizational change was limited.• The higher toll should limit the number of cars on the bridge.• The new law limits the number of foreign cars that can be imported.• The agreement in Washington has muffled the many disagreements encountered along this road by limiting the West's aims.• It was limited to five hundred copies and afterwards the type was destroyed.• However, it was limited to one particular unit.• Men hold most of the top jobs, and this limits women's opportunities for promotion.• Think space appeal here, and limit your opener to two to five lines.• As you look for material to write about, don't limit yourself to other people's ideas.limit something to something• Seating is limited to 500.limit yourself to something• He had ranged ahead, limiting himself to brusque commands and a variety of signals.• In this regard, do not limit yourself to experts.• The system made no attempt to determine deep structure parses, limiting itself to finding surface parse trees.• Despite the title and setting, he heroically limits himself to only one Elvis.• The shorter ones among them generally limit themselves to praise-affirmations but do not as yet have any particular type of conclusion.• In contrast, governments that put steering and rowing within the same organization limit themselves to relatively narrow strategies.• In arguing this I shall limit myself to the internal characteristics of the National Curriculum.• Behavioural psychologists prefer to limit themselves to the physically observable.• I limit myself to two cups of coffee a day.From Longman Business Dictionarylimitlim‧it1 /ˈlɪmɪt/ noun [countable] the greatest amount, size, number etc that is possible or allowedThe contract specifies various time limits and penalty clauses.Insurance cover for deep-freeze goods is free of charge up to a limit of £500. → credit limit → floor limitlimitlimit2 verb [transitive]1to stop something going beyond a particular pointThe costs of limiting air pollution are difficult to determine.limit something to somethingThe law limits political donations to $500 from each voter.2to reduce the amount, number etc of something a person or organization may havelimit somebody/something to somethingSubscribers were limited to twenty shares each.→ See Verb tableOrigin limit1 (1300-1400) French limite, from Latin limes “edge, boundary”lim·it1 noun →COLLOCATIONS1 →THESAURUS1limit2 verbLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
or number, least Business Corpus greatest amount, the
limit
lim‧it1 S2 W2 /ˈlɪmət, ˈlɪmɪt/ 
noun [countable]
a 55 mph speed limit
limit for
There’s no age limit for applicants.
limit to/on
My wife and I set a limit on how much we spend on clothes.
above/over/below a limit
Pesticide levels in drinking water are already above legal limits in many areas.
2. GREATEST AMOUNT POSSIBLE (also limits) the greatest possible amount of something that can exist or be obtained
limit of
the limits of human knowledge
He’d reached the limit of his patience.
Our finances are already stretched to the limit (=we do not have any extra money).
There’s no limit to what you can do if you try.
3. PLACE (also limits) the furthest point or edge of a place, often one that must not be passed:
He had not been outside the limits of the prison walls for 20 years.
The public is not allowed within a 2-mile limit of the missile site.
Los Angeles city limits
4. off limits
a. beyond the area where someone is allowed to go:
That area of beach was off limits to us ‘city kids’.
b. beyond what you are allowed to do or have:
His private life is off limits to the press.
5. within limits within the time, level, amount etc considered acceptable:
You can come and go when you want – within limits.
6. be over the limit to have drunk more alcohol than is legal or safe for driving
7. know your limits informal to know what you are good at doing and what you are not good at:
I know my limits. I’m not an administrator.
8. have your limits spoken to have a set of rules about what is reasonable behaviour, and to not accept behaviour that does not follow these rules:
I have my limits. You will not use that kind of nasty language in class.
■ verbs
▪set a limit (also impose a limit formal) Set a time limit for the completion of the task.
▪put a limit on something We have to put a limit on the number of participants.
▪exceed a limit (=go beyond a limit) He reported a driver for exceeding the speed limit.
▪go over a limit (=go beyond a limit) Borrowers who go over the spending limit set by the credit card company are penalised.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + limit
▪an upper/lower limit (=the highest/lowest amount allowed) There is no upper limit on the amount you can borrow. | Ensure the temperature in the aquarium does not fall below the lower limit.
▪a strict limit There are strict limits on spending.
▪a legal limit (=a limit set by law) The alcohol in his blood was four times more than the legal limit.
▪the speed limit Too many people go over the speed limit in residential areas.
▪a time limit The time limit for making a claim is three months.
▪an age limit The lower age limit for entering the Royal Marines is sixteen.
▪a weight/height limit The weight limit per bag is 20 kilos.
▪spending limits There are strict spending limits imposed by law on all candidates.
▪term limits American English (=limits on how much time a politician can spend in office) Should Senators be subject to term limits?
▪ limit the highest number, speed, temperature etc that is allowed by a law or rule: He borrowed money up to the limit that the bank allowed. | The speed limit is 65 m.p.h. | There’s no limit on the amount of money that may be brought into the US. | Pollution levels are over the official limit. | Some families set limits on how much they spend on each other’s Christmas present.
▪restrictions rules or laws that strictly control what you are allowed to do: Travel restrictions might reduce the spread of the disease. | Unions are pressing for restrictions on steel imports from Japan. | Because of restrictions on reporting, newspapers were not allowed to cover the story. | New restrictions have been imposed on immigration.
▪limitations limits on what a person or thing is able to do – used especially when you would like to be able to do more: The president was unwilling to accept limitations on his power. | the limitations of the computer system | Hikers should know their physical limitations and not take unnecessary risks.
▪constraints facts or conditions that limit what you can do, for example not having enough time, money etc: Financial constraints are forcing many people in their twenties to live with their parents. | The last part of the show had to be cut because of time constraints. | The constraints of prison life are sometimes too much for people to bear.
▪maximum the largest number or amount that is possible, normal, or allowed: Classes have a maximum of twenty students. | What’s the maximum you can earn before you have to pay tax?
▪minimum the smallest number or amount that is possible or allowed: He was sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison. | Our aim is to reduce the number of accidents to an absolute minimum.
▪ceiling the largest number or amount of something that is officially allowed: There is a ceiling on the amount of foreign investment. | Import quotas may rise from the present ceiling of 18.5 million to 20 million. | Congress was once again considering raising the federal debt ceiling.
limit2 S3 W2 verb
a decision to limit imports of foreign cars
limit something to something
Seating is limited to 500.
2. [transitive] to stop someone from doing what they want or from developing and improving beyond a particular point:
A lack of formal education will limit your job opportunities.
limit yourself to something
I limit myself to two cups of coffee a day.
3. be limited to something to exist or happen only in a particular place, group, or area of activity:
The damage was limited to the roof.
| I |
noun [countable] Word Family: noun: limit, limitation, delimitation; adjective: limited ≠ unlimited, limiting, limitless; verb: limit, delimit
Date: 1300-1400
Language: French
Origin: limite, from Latin limes 'edge, boundary'
1. GREATEST/LEAST ALLOWED the greatest or least amount, number, speed etc that is allowed:Language: French
Origin: limite, from Latin limes 'edge, boundary'
limit for
limit to/on
above/over/below a limit
2. GREATEST AMOUNT POSSIBLE (also limits) the greatest possible amount of something that can exist or be obtained
limit of
3. PLACE (also limits) the furthest point or edge of a place, often one that must not be passed:
4. off limits
a. beyond the area where someone is allowed to go:
b. beyond what you are allowed to do or have:
5. within limits within the time, level, amount etc considered acceptable:
6. be over the limit to have drunk more alcohol than is legal or safe for driving
7. know your limits informal to know what you are good at doing and what you are not good at:
8. have your limits spoken to have a set of rules about what is reasonable behaviour, and to not accept behaviour that does not follow these rules:
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verb Word Family: noun: limit, limitation, delimitation; adjective: limited ≠ unlimited, limiting, limitless; verb: limit, delimit
1. [transitive] to stop an amount or number from increasing beyond a particular point: limit something to something
2. [transitive] to stop someone from doing what they want or from developing and improving beyond a particular point:
limit yourself to something
3. be limited to something to exist or happen only in a particular place, group, or area of activity:
limit the greatest or smallest amount of sth that is allowed 指极限、限量、限额 ：◆ The EU has set strict limits on pollution levels. 欧盟对污染程度作了严格的限定。 ◆ the speed limit 速度限制 restriction ( a rule or law that limits what you can dorather
指限制规定、限制法规 ：◆ There are no restrictions on the amount of money you can withdraw. 取款没有限额。 control (often in compounds) the act of limiting or managing sth; a method of doing this （常构成复合词）指限制、约束、管理、管制 ：◆ arms control 军备控制 constraint ( a fact or decision that limits what you can dorather
指限制、限定、约束 ：◆ We have to work within severe constraints of time and money. 我们必须在时间紧迫、资金紧张的限制下工作。 restraint ( a decision, a rule, an idea, etc. that limits what you can do; the act of limiting sth because it is necessary or sensible to do sorather
指约束力、管制措施、制约因素、控制、限制 ：◆ The government has imposed export restraints on some products. 政府对一些产品实行了出口控制。 ◆ The unions are unlikely to accept any sort of wage restraint. 工会不大可能接受任何形式的工资限制。 limitation the act or process of limiting sth; a rule, fact or condition that limits sth 指限制、控制、起限制作用的规则、事实或条件 ：◆ They would resist any limitation of their powers. 他们会抵制对他们权力的任何限制。
restriction, constraint, restraint or limitation? 用 restriction、constraint、restraint 还是 limitation？
These are all things that limit what you can do. A restriction is rule or law that is made by sb in authority. Aconstraint is sth that exists rather than sth that is made, although it may exist as a result of sb's decision. Arestraint is also sth that exists: it can exist outside yourself, as the result of sb else's decision; but it can also exist inside you, as a fear of what other people may think or as your own feeling about what is acceptable.以上各词均表示限制规定。restriction 指掌权者所作的规定或法规。constraint 指现存的限制或约束而非作出的决定，尽管这种约束也可能是因他人的决定而存在。restraint 亦指现存的限制或制约因素，既可能指自身以外的因素，如他人的决定；也可能指自身因素，如担心别人的想法或顾虑自己的做法能否被接受 ：◆ moral/social/cultural restraints 道德／社会／文化制约因素 A limitation is more general and can be a rule that sb makes or a fact or condition that exists.* limitation 较通用，可指人为的规定，也可指客观存在的构成限制的事实或条件。
Patterns
limits/restrictions/controls/constraints/restraints/limitations on sthlimits/limitations to sthsevere limits/restrictions/controls/constraints/restraints/limitationstight limits/restrictions/controls/constraintsto impose/remove limits/restrictions/controls/constraints/restraints/limitationsto lift restrictions/controls/constraints/restraints
