Definitions for limit
ˈlɪm ɪtlim·it

Princeton's WordNet(2.33 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. limit, bound, boundarynoun

   the greatest possible degree of something

   "what he did was beyond the bounds of acceptable behavior"; "to the limit of his ability"

2. terminus ad quem, terminal point, limitnoun

   final or latest limiting point

3. limitnoun

   as far as something can go

4. limit, demarcation, demarcation linenoun

   the boundary of a specific area

5. limit, limit point, point of accumulationnoun

   the mathematical value toward which a function goes as the independent variable approaches infinity

6. limit, limitationverb

   the greatest amount of something that is possible or allowed

   "there are limits on the amount you can bet"; "it is growing rapidly with no limitation in sight"

7. restrict, restrain, trammel, limit, bound, confine, throttleverb

   place limits on (extent or access)

   "restrict the use of this parking lot"; "limit the time you can spend with your friends"

8. limit, circumscribe, confineverb

   restrict or confine, "I limit you to two visits to the pub a day"

9. specify, set, determine, define, fix, limitverb

   decide upon or fix definitely

   "fix the variables"; "specify the parameters"

Webster Dictionary(4.33 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Limitverb

   that which terminates, circumscribes, restrains, or confines; the bound, border, or edge; the utmost extent; as, the limit of a walk, of a town, of a country; the limits of human knowledge or endeavor

   Etymology: [F. limiter, L. limitare, fr. limes, limitis, limit; prob. akin to limen threshold, E. eliminate; cf. L. limus sidelong.]

2. Limitverb

   the space or thing defined by limits

   Etymology: [F. limiter, L. limitare, fr. limes, limitis, limit; prob. akin to limen threshold, E. eliminate; cf. L. limus sidelong.]

3. Limitverb

   that which terminates a period of time; hence, the period itself; the full time or extent

   Etymology: [F. limiter, L. limitare, fr. limes, limitis, limit; prob. akin to limen threshold, E. eliminate; cf. L. limus sidelong.]

4. Limitverb

   a restriction; a check; a curb; a hindrance

   Etymology: [F. limiter, L. limitare, fr. limes, limitis, limit; prob. akin to limen threshold, E. eliminate; cf. L. limus sidelong.]

5. Limitverb

   a determining feature; a distinguishing characteristic; a differentia

   Etymology: [F. limiter, L. limitare, fr. limes, limitis, limit; prob. akin to limen threshold, E. eliminate; cf. L. limus sidelong.]

6. Limitverb

   a determinate quantity, to which a variable one continually approaches, and may differ from it by less than any given difference, but to which, under the law of variation, the variable can never become exactly equivalent

   Etymology: [F. limiter, L. limitare, fr. limes, limitis, limit; prob. akin to limen threshold, E. eliminate; cf. L. limus sidelong.]

7. Limitverb

   to apply a limit to, or set a limit for; to terminate, circumscribe, or restrict, by a limit or limits; as, to limit the acreage of a crop; to limit the issue of paper money; to limit one's ambitions or aspirations; to limit the meaning of a word

   Etymology: [F. limiter, L. limitare, fr. limes, limitis, limit; prob. akin to limen threshold, E. eliminate; cf. L. limus sidelong.]

8. Limitverb

   to beg, or to exercise functions, within a certain limited region; as, a limiting friar

   Etymology: [F. limiter, L. limitare, fr. limes, limitis, limit; prob. akin to limen threshold, E. eliminate; cf. L. limus sidelong.]

Freebase(3.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Limit

   In mathematics, a limit is the value that a function or sequence "approaches" as the input or index approaches some value. Limits are essential to calculus and are used to define continuity, derivatives, and integrals. The concept of a limit of a sequence is further generalized to the concept of a limit of a topological net, and is closely related to limit and direct limit in category theory. In formulas, limit is usually abbreviated as lim as in lim = a, and the fact of approaching a limit is represented by the right arrow as in an → a.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Limit

   lim′it, n. boundary: utmost extent: restriction: (Shak.) a limb, as the limit of the body.—v.t. to confine within bounds: to restrain: to fix within limits.—adjs. Lim′itable, that may be limited, bounded, or restrained; Limitā′rian, tending to limit.—n. one who limits.—adjs. Lim′itary, placed at the boundary as a guard, &c.: confined within limits; Lim′itate (bot.), bounded by a distinct line.—n. Limitā′tion, the act of limiting, bounding, or restraining: the state of being limited, bounded, or restrained: restriction.—adjs. Limitā′tive, Lim′ited, within limits: narrow: restricted.—adv. Lim′itedly.—ns. Lim′itedness; Lim′iter, the person or thing that limits or confines: a friar who had a license to beg within certain bounds.—adj. Lim′itless, having no limits: boundless: immense: infinite.—Limited liability (see Liability); Limited monarchy, a monarchy in which the supreme power is shared with a body of nobles, a representative body, or both. [Fr.,—L. limes, limitis, a boundary.]

Matched Categories

1. • Boundary
   • Extremity
   • Indefinite Quantity

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'limit' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3083

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'limit' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2502

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'limit' in Nouns Frequency: #740

4. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'limit' in Verbs Frequency: #314

How to pronounce limit?

1. Alex

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

How to say limit in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of limit in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of limit in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of limit in a Sentence

1. Executive Chairman Lim Wee Chai:

   We manage their volume, limit them to buy so much per customer. We have to manage but it's a good problem for us to solve.

2. Eleni Linos:

   The phone user needs to retain the power to choose what happens. Every domestic violence and sexual assault situation is different, and the phone won't know if the abuser suddenly re-enters the room, grabs the phone, or starts listening in. It's tempting to say that the phone should automatically dial 9-1-1, but that could lead to an increase in the number of accidental calls, limit emergency services' capacity to respond to actual urgent calls, and worst of all might tip off the perpetrator that his or her victim is trying to get help.

3. Csaba Domotor:

   The extraordinary measures are related to the pandemic, to its prevention, its elimination and the prevention of the damaging economic consequences, a time limit can not be declared in this situation because there is no one... who can say how many months of struggle we have to prepare for.

4. Henrique Capriles:

   What is going to be the cost if this country does not obtain a peaceful, electoral solution to the crisis? a social explosion would be worse. No one wants that, but the people's patience has a limit.

5. Cicero:

   There are some duties we owe even to those who have wronged us. There is, after all, a limit to retribution and punishment.

Images & Illustrations of limit

Popularity rank by frequency of use