limit

 
Pronunciation: /ˈlɪmɪt/

noun

  • 1a point or level beyond which something does not or may not extend or pass: the failure showed the limits of British power the 10-minute limit on speeches there was no limit to his imagination
  • (often limits) the terminal point or boundary of an area or movement: the city limits the upper limit of the tidal reaches
  • the furthest extent of one’s physical or mental endurance: Mary Ann tried everyone’s patience to the limit
  • 2a restriction on the size or amount of something permissible or possible: an age limit a weight limit
  • a speed limit: a 30 mph limit
  • (also legal limit) the maximum concentration of alcohol in the blood that the law allows in the driver of a motor vehicle: the risk of drinkers inadvertently going over the limit
  • 3 Mathematics a point or value which a sequence, function, or sum of a series can be made to approach progressively, until they are as close to it as desired.

verb (limits, limiting, limited)

[with object]
  • set or serve as a limit to: try to limit the amount you drink class sizes are limited to a maximum of 10 (as adjective limiting) a limiting factor

Phrases

be the limit

informal be intolerably troublesome or irritating: you are the limit—you’re suspicious of everything!

off limits

out of bounds: the site was off limits to the public
not to be mentioned or discussed: it was apparent that the whole topic was off limits

within limits

moderately; up to a point: airlines used to be able, within limits, to land or take off more or less when they pleased

without limit

with no restriction: the potential energy does not increase without limit

Derivatives

limitary

adjective

limitative

Pronunciation: /-tətɪv/
adjective

Origin:

late Middle English: from Latin limes, limit- 'boundary, frontier'. The verb is from Latin limitare, from limes

Spelling rule

Do not double the final consonant when adding endings which begin with a vowel to a word which ends in a vowel plus a consonant, if the stress is not at the end of the word (as in target): (limits, limiting, limited).