Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - circumscribe

 transitive verb  Etymology: Middle English circumscriven, from Latin ~re, from circum- + scribere to write, draw — more at scribe  Date: 14th century  1.  a. to constrict the range or activity of definitely and clearly his role was carefully ~d  b. to define or mark off carefully a study of plant species in a ~d area  2.  a. to draw a line around  b. to surround by or as if by a boundary fields ~d by tall trees  3. to construct or be constructed around (a geometrical figure) so as to touch as many points as possible  Synonyms: see limit