Definition of "circumscribe" [cir•cum•scribe]

• To draw a line around; encircle. (verb-transitive)
• To limit narrowly; restrict. (verb-transitive)
• To determine the limits of; define. See Synonyms at limit. (verb-transitive)
• To enclose (a polygon or polyhedron) within a configuration of lines, curves, or surfaces so that every vertex of the enclosed object is incident on the enclosing configuration. (verb-transitive)
• To erect (such a configuration) around a polygon or polyhedron: circumscribe a circle around a square. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Reveals that the CIA sought to "circumscribe" a policy of humane detainee treatment "so as to limit its application to the CIA.""
• "One, they should circumscribe the role of the ombudsman, preferably to higher levels of government, and focus on increasing transparency."
• "Climate control is seamlessly integrated and hardly noticeable as air diffusers circumscribe the house with fully integrated track lighting, eliminating unsightly air vents and making credible use of space."