辨析：limit, restrict, confine, circumscribe These verbs mean to establish or keep within specified bounds; 这些动词指建立或保持在一定范围内。这四个动词的一般含义为“限制”或“局限”。 limit: Limit refers principally to the establishment of a maximum, as of quantity, degree, or time, beyond which a person or thing cannot or may not go; 主要指在数量、程度或时间上确定最大值，人或事物不可能或不可以超越它。其内涵是如果超出了这种限度就会受罚或遭到令人不快的后果；此外，这个词也常用来表示“局限”。 1. The Constitution limits the President's term of office to four years. 宪法规定总统的任期四年。 2. Liberty, too, must be limited in order to be possessed. (Edmund Burke) 为了维护自由，自由同样要受到限制。 （埃德蒙·伯克） 3. This driver received a ticket because he failed to limit his speed while driving in heavy traffic. 那位司机收到了一个违章通知单，因为他在车辆多的地方没能限制开车速度。 4. I limited myself to two modest ambitions: to do physical exercises every morning and to read more of an evening. 我把自己的决心限制于两项小小的抱负：即每天早晨做体操，常在晚上多读一点书。 5. He seems to have only a limited intelligence. 似乎他的智力有限。 6. We must limit our expense to what we can afford. 我们必须不使开支超出我们的支付能力。 7. Didn't you see the speed limit? (n.) restrict: To restrict is to keep within prescribed [pris’kraib] limits, as of choice or action; 指保持在规定的范围内，如选择或行动。区别于limit 的地方在于，restrict“限制”的是范围，而limit 侧重于表示“限制”到某个点。 1. A pardon, so restricted that none were likely to be forgiven save those who had done no wrong. (John Lothrop Motley) 请原谅，如此地严格限制以致于除了那些从没做过错事的人，没有人可饶恕。 （约翰·洛特诺普·莫特列） 2. The sale of alcoholic beverages is restricted to those over 21. 酒精饮料只能出售给21岁以上的成年人。 3. In democratic countries any efforts to restrict the freedom of the Press are rightly condemned. 在民主的国家里，限制新闻自由的任何努力都要受到公正的谴责。 4. The trees restrict our view. 这些树局限了我们的视野。 confine: Confine suggests limits that imprison, restrain, or impede; 暗示束缚性、限制性的或阻挠性的限制。具有 limit 和 restrict 两者的含义，但confine 的内涵是“约束”或“束缚”。 1. All prisoners will be confined to their cells. 所有的囚犯必须关在牢房里。 2. Interest in Asia is no longer confined to scholars [‘skɔlə]. 对亚洲感兴趣的人已不单限于学者了。 3. He is confined to the house by illness. 他因病闭门不出。 4. The professor confined his remarks to scientific management. 那位教授把自己的讲话局限在科学管理方面。 5. It did not, however, remain within the confines of his estate. 然而，这种疾病并未被局限在他的庄园范围之内。 circumscribe: Circumscribe [‘sə:kəmskraib] connotes an encircling or surrounding line that confines and especially that confines narrowly; 暗示一条起限制作用的环绕或包围的线，尤指限制范围小的这样的线。 1. A man should not circumscribe his activity by any inflexible fence of rigid rules. (John Stuart Blackie). 人不应该将自己的行为限制在由僵化的条文构成的不可变通的范围之内。（约翰·斯图尔特·布莱基） 2. Their life was extremely circumscribed, with long hours of study and few of play. 由于长时间的学习和很少玩耍，他们的生活范围太局限了。 3. circumscribe a circle around a square 正方形的外接圆 本文来源：https://www.wddqw.com/doc/abfc1cfcbceb19e8b8f6baa1.html