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n. 1. a. A subdivision or district of a city or town under the jurisdiction of or patrolled by a specific unit of its police force. b. The police station situated in and having jurisdiction over such a district. 2. An election district of a city or town. 3. often precincts a. A place or enclosure marked off by definite limits, such as walls: the mysterious precincts of the old monastery. b. A boundary: Hunting is not allowed within the precincts of the estate. 4. precincts The neighborhood or surrounding area; the environs. 5. often precincts An area of thought or action; a province or domain: "It was in these spacious precincts that Dryden's imagination was most at home" (Mark Van Doren). [Middle English precincte, a defined district or area, from Medieval Latin praecīnctum, from Latin, neuter past participle of praecingere, to encircle : prae-, pre- + cingere, to gird; see kenk- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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