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to encage

to encage

7.1
To put an animal or person in a cage
  • verb
  • /ɪnˈkeɪdʒ/
translation icon : encerrar
  • They refused to encage the wild bird, choosing instead to let it heal in the open.

Examples

  • They decided to encage the birds for their safety.

  • It is cruel to encage animals in small, uncomfortable spaces.

  • The zookeeper had to encage the injured animal for its safety.

  • The zookeeper encages the lions every night.

  • The zookeeper decided to encage the new tiger to ensure it was safe from the other animals.

  • After the storm, they had to encage the parakeets to keep them secure indoors.

  • The team will encage the bird before transporting it to the vet for a check-up.

Synonyms

to cage
vsto encage
40 1.0

To put a person or animal into a space with bars that keeps them from escaping

is the general action of placing or keeping inside such an enclosure
to crate
vsto encage
5 4.1

To put something into a strong box for moving or keeping safe

applies to confining for any purpose, not only transport or protection
to cage in
vsto encage
2 5.4

To put someone or something into a small space with bars to stop them moving freely

focuses more on placing into a specific enclosed container rather than general surrounding
to pen up
vsto encage
2 6.0

Keep animals or people in a small area

is about enclosing inside a container rather than a fenced holding area
to kennel
vsto encage
1 5.6

To put a dog in a place that looks after it while you are away

is the general act of putting or keeping in an enclosure not limited to temporary sheltering
to coop up
vsto encage
  • Informal
1 6.4

To keep a person or animal inside a small space like a cage

describes confinement more neutrally without stressing cramped discomfort
to hutch
vsto encage
7.9

To put small animals into a cage to keep them safe

is broader and applies beyond small domestic housing boxes

Antonyms

1.8

To let someone or something go free from being held

104 4.3

Set someone free from prison or unfair control

How Confined

to imprison
  • Formal
178 4.2
to encage
7.1
to contain
388 3.5
to limit
2.1

Surface Forms

encage infinitive
encaged past
encaged past participle
encaging present participle
encages third person singular

Morphology

encage = cage (transparent) = en + cage

Formed by productive prefix 'en-' meaning 'put into' plus 'cage', so the literal sense 'put into a cage' is directly inferable.

Etymology

Encage comes from the parts en- meaning 'in' and cage meaning a box for animals. So, to encage something is to put it into a cage or keep it there.