Holding back or controlling something from acting freely; limiting or restricting movement or action.
From Old French 'restraindre,' from Latin 'restringere' combining 're-' (back) and 'stringere' (to bind). The sense of physical or legal holding-back has remained consistent.
A 'restraining order' in law is one of the few words where we use the same term for preventing a person from physically approaching someone and preventing them from harassing them digitally. The word's flexibility shows how law adapts to new threats.
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