cohibere

cohibere is a Latin verb with a range of meanings related to holding back, restraining, or keeping in. Its primary sense is to hold together, to confine, or to keep within limits. This can apply to physical containment, such as holding a prisoner or keeping animals in a pen. The verb also extends to more abstract forms of restraint, such as controlling one's emotions, suppressing speech, or delaying an action. In legal contexts, cohibere can signify the act of apprehending or detaining someone. It implies an act of forceful or persistent restriction. Synonyms in English might include to restrain, to curb, to suppress, to confine, to detain, or to keep. The concept of cohibere is fundamental to understanding notions of control and limitation in classical Latin literature and thought. It appears in various grammatical forms throughout Latin texts, reflecting its common usage in conveying the idea of preventing something from moving, acting, or escaping.