constraint

n.

1. The threat or use of force to prevent, restrict, or dictate the action or thought of others.
2. The state of being restricted or confined within prescribed bounds: soon tired of the constraint of military life.
3. One that restricts, limits, or regulates; a check: ignored all moral constraints in his pursuit of success.
4. Embarrassed reserve or reticence; awkwardness: "All constraint had vanished between the two, and they began to talk" (Edith Wharton).

[Middle English constreinte, from Old French, from feminine past participle of constraindre, to constrain. See constrain.]

A restriction on the natural degrees of freedom of a system. If n and m are the numbers of the natural and actual degrees of freedom, the difference n − m is the number of constraints. In principle n = 3N, where N is the number of particles, for example, atoms. In practice n is determined by the number of effectively rigid components.

A holonomic system is one in which the n original coordinates can be expressed in terms of m independent coordinates and possibly also the time. It is characterized by frictionless contacts and inextensible linkages. The new coordinates are called generalized coordinates. See also Lagrange's equations.

Nonholonomic systems cannot be reduced to independent coordinates because the constraints are not on the n coordinate values themselves but on their possible changes. For example, an ice skate may point in all directions but at each position it must point along its path. See also Degree of freedom (mechanics).

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noun

1. Power used to overcome resistance: coercion, compulsion, duress, force, pressure, strength, violence. See attack/defend.
2. The act of limiting or condition of being limited: circumscription, confinement, limitation, restraint, restriction. See limited/unlimited.
3. Something that limits or restricts: check, circumscription, cramp, curb, inhibition, limit, limitation, restraint, restriction, stricture, trammel. See limited/unlimited.

n

Definition: confinement
Antonyms: freedom, liberation

n

Definition: force
Antonyms: free will

n

Definition: restriction
Antonyms: allowance, permission

n

Definition: shyness
Antonyms: aggression, boldness, openness

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One proposal for solving the problem of free will and determinism is that we distinguish between acting when caused to do so, which if determinism is correct always happens, and acting under constraint, i.e. when restrictions on our options exist. The suggestion is that while constraint interferes with freedom, causation does not, and should not be regarded as a kind of constraint.

1. A limiting factor.

2. In biomechanics, a restriction to the performance of free human movement patterns.

3. In sociology, a restraining social influence, which leads an individual to conform to social norms or social expectations.

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Common misspelling(s) of constraints

• constaints

Dansk (Danish)
n. - tvang, bundethed, ufrihed

Nederlands (Dutch)
gevangenschap, inperking, dwang, ingehoudenheid, beperking

Français (French)
n. - contrainte, (Jur) coercition, retenue

Deutsch (German)
n. - Beschränkung, Zwang, Befangenheit

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - εξαναγκασμός, βία, περιορισμός, αυτοσυγκράτηση, αμηχανία

Italiano (Italian)
limitazione

Português (Portuguese)
n. - constrangimento (m), coação (f)

Русский (Russian)
принуждение, скованность

Español (Spanish)
n. - limitación, restricción

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - tvång, tvångsmedel, bundenhet, känsla av tvång, tvunget sätt, restriktion

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
约束, 强迫, 限制, 强制

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 約束, 強迫, 限制, 強制

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 압박, 억제, 어색함

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 強制, 束縛, 強制するもの, 窮屈

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) تقييد, اكراه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מעצור, הגבלה, מבוכה, אילוץ, ריסון רגשות, התנהגות מרוסנת‬

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