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Sanction vs Confine - What's the difference?

sanction | confine |

In transitive terms the difference between sanction and confine

is that sanction is to penalize (a State etc.) with sanctions while confine is to restrict; to keep within bounds; to shut or keep in a limited space or area.

sanction

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • An approval, by an authority, generally one that makes something valid.
  • A penalty, or some coercive measure, intended to ensure compliance; especially one adopted by several nations, or by an international body.
  • A law, treaty, or contract, or a clause within a law, treaty, or contract, specifying the above.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To ratify; to make valid.
  • To give official authorization or approval to; to countenance.
  • * 1946 , (Bertrand Russell), History of Western Philosophy , I.21:
  • Many of the most earnest Protestants were business men, to whom lending money at interest was essential. Consequently first Calvin, and then other Protestant divines, sanctioned interest.
  • To penalize (a State etc.) with sanctions.
  • 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 ----