adj. 1. having movement restricted to within a certain area; -- usually a building. Opposite of unconfined. [ Narrower terms: claustrophobic; close, confining; homebound, housebound, shut-in; in childbed(prenominal); pent, shut up(predicate); snowbound; weather-bound; stormbound, storm-bound ] [ WordNet 1.5 ]
2. deprived of liberty; especially placed under arrest or restraint. [ WordNet 1.5 ]
3. having movement restricted to within an enclosed outdoor area; -- of animals.
Syn. -- fenced in, penned. [ WordNet 1.5 ]
4. (Med.) not invading healthy tissue. [ WordNet 1.5 ]
5. held prisoner.
Syn. -- captive, imprisoned, jailed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]
6. having movement or progress restricted to a certain area; as, an outbreak of the plague confined to one quarter of the city; wildfires confined to within the canyon. [ PJC ]