to respecting the boundary

4.1

To give someone space and follow their personal limits

idiom

: respetar los límites

The counselor emphasized the importance of respecting the boundary of others during group sessions.

Examples

In healthy relationships, respecting the boundary helps maintain trust and comfort.
By respecting the boundary, she showed empathy and understanding for her friend's needs.
They are respecting the boundary during discussions.
Are you respecting the boundary we discussed?
By respecting the boundary, she demonstrated her commitment to her friend's emotional well-being.
In therapy, respecting the boundary of clients is crucial for building a trusting environment.
It is important to respect the boundary so that everyone feels safe and comfortable sharing their thoughts.

Antonyms

to cross the line

Informal

89 4.5

Act in a way that goes too far and is not right

Surface Forms

respect infinitive

respected past

respected past participle

respecting present participle

respects third person singular

Morphology

respect + the + boundary

The phrase's meaning follows directly from combining 'respect' (to show regard) with 'boundary' (a limit), so a learner who knows both words can infer it means honoring or recognizing limits; the article 'the' is semantically light and does not change compositionality. This compositional pattern (respecting boundaries) is common across languages and everyday discourse, making the expression immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Respecting the boundary comes from the simple image of a fence around a garden. To respect the boundary is to not step over the line and to give others space, so the phrase means 'recognizing and honoring personal limits' today.