limiting

UK: /ˈlɪmɪtɪŋ/ US: (lim′i ting)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

lim•it•ing  (lim′i ting), adj. 

1. serving to restrict or restrain;
   restrictive;
   confining.
2. Grammar of the nature of a limiting adjective or a restrictive clause.

• limit + -ing² 1570–80

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

lim•it /ˈlɪmɪt/   n. 

[countable]
1. the furthest boundary, point, or edge of the extent or amount of something:
   had reached the limit of their endurance.
2. Informal Terms the limit, [singular] something very annoying or amazing:
   Their weird stunts are the limit!

v. [~ + object]

3. to restrict by or as if by limits:
   to limit spending.

lim•it•er, n. [countable]
lim•it•less, adj. See -lim-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

lim•it  (lim′it), n. 

1. the final, utmost, or furthest boundary or point as to extent, amount, continuance, procedure, etc.:
   the limit of his experience; the limit of vision.
2. a boundary or bound, as of a country, area, or district.
3. [Math.]
   • Mathematics a number such that the value of a given function remains arbitrarily close to this number when the independent variable is sufficiently close to a specified point or is sufficiently large. The limit of 1/x is zero as x approaches infinity;
     the limit of (x - 1)² is zero as x approaches 1.
   • Mathematics a number such that the absolute value of the difference between terms of a given sequence and the number approaches zero as the index of the terms increases to infinity.
   • Mathematics one of two numbers affixed to the integration symbol for a definite integral, indicating the interval or region over which the integration is taking place and substituted in a primitive, if one exists, to evaluate the integral.
4. limits, the premises or region enclosed within boundaries:
   We found them on school limits after hours.
5. Games the maximum sum by which a bet may be raised at any one time.
6. Informal Terms the limit, something or someone that exasperates, delights, etc., to an extreme degree:
   You have made errors before, but this is the limit.

v.t. 

7. to restrict by or as if by establishing limits (usually fol. by to):
   Please limit answers to 25 words.
8. to confine or keep within limits:
   to limit expenditures.
9. Law to fix or assign definitely or specifically.

• Latin līmit- (stem of līmes) boundary, path between fields
• Middle English lymyt 1325–75

lim′it•a•ble, adj. 
lim′it•a•ble•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. confine, frontier, border.
• 8. restrain, bound.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

limit / ˈlɪmɪt/ noun

1. (sometimes plural) the ultimate extent, degree, or amount of something: the limit of endurance
2. (often plural) the boundary or edge of a specific area: the city limits
3. (often plural) the area of premises within specific boundaries
4. the largest quantity or amount allowed
5. a value to which a function f(x) approaches as closely as desired as the independent variable approaches a specified value (x = a) or approaches infinity
6. a value to which a sequence a_n approaches arbitrarily close as n approaches infinity
7. the limit of a sequence of partial sums of a convergent infinite series: the limit of 1 + + + + … is 2
8. one of the two specified values between which a definite integral is evaluated
9. the limit ⇒ a person or thing that is intolerably exasperating

verb ( -its, -iting, -ited)(transitive)

1. to restrict or confine, as to area, extent, time, etc

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin līmes boundary

ˈlimitable adjective

ˈlimitableness noun

ˈlimitless adjective

ˈlimitlessly adverb

ˈlimitlessness noun