Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb archaic Second-person singular simple present form of constrain

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

constrain + -est

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Examples

  • And anon they were tormented within him, and began to cry: Let us go! wherefore constrainest thou for to be so tormented?

    The Golden Legend, vol. 4 1230-1298 1900

  • O Donatus, wherefore constrainest thou me to issue out with torments?

    The Golden Legend, vol. 4 1230-1298 1900

  • She smiled as she spake; and now all the passion of anguish seemed to have left her for that while; but Viridis cast her arms about her neck and wept upon her bosom, and said: Woe's me! for I see that thou wilt go whatsoever I may say or do; I strove to be angry with thee, but I might not, and now I see that thou constrainest me as thou dost all else.

    The Water of the Wondrous Isles William Morris 1865

  • She smiled as she spake; and now all the passion of anguish seemed to have left her for that while; but Viridis cast her arms about her neck and wept upon her bosom, and said: Woe’s me! for I see that thou wilt go whatsoever I may say or do; I strove to be angry with thee, but I might not, and now I see that thou constrainest me as thou dost all else.

    The Water of the Wondrous Isles 2007

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