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Captive vs Confine - What's the difference?

captive | confine |

As nouns the difference between captive and confine

is that captive is one who has been captured or is otherwise confined while confine is limit.

As an adjective captive

is held prisoner; not free; confined.

As a verb confine is

to restrict; to keep within bounds; to shut or keep in a limited space or area.

captive

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • One who has been captured or is otherwise confined.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
  • , chapter=19 citation , passage=When Timothy and Julia hurried up the staircase to the bedroom floor, where a considerable commotion was taking place, Tim took Barry Leach with him. He had him gripped firmly by the arm, since he felt it was not safe to let him loose, and he had no immediate idea what to do with him. The captive made no resistance […].}}
  • One held prisoner.
  • (figurative) One charmed or subdued by beauty, excellence, or affection; one who is captivated.
  • Adjective

    (-)
  • Held prisoner; not free; confined.
  • * Milton
  • A poor, miserable, captive thrall.
  • Subdued by love; charmed; captivated.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Even in so short a space, my wonan's heart / Grossly grew captive to his honey words.
  • Of or relating to bondage or confinement; serving to confine.
  • captive''' chains; '''captive hours

    confine

    English

    Verb

    (confin)
  • To restrict; to keep within bounds; to shut or keep in a limited space or area.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Now let not nature's hand / Keep the wild flood confined ! let order die!
  • * Dryden
  • He is to confine himself to the compass of numbers and the slavery of rhyme.
  • To have a common boundary; to border; to lie contiguous; to touch; followed by on'' or ''with .
  • * Milton
  • Where your gloomy bounds / Confine with heaven
  • * Dryden
  • Betwixt heaven and earth and skies there stands a place / Confining on all three.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Limit.
  • Synonyms

    * (limit) border, bound, limit English heteronyms ----