A shopping precinct is an area in the centre of a town in which cars are not allowed.
[British]
The Centre was a pedestrian precinct with a bandstand in the middle.
2. countable noun
A precinct is a part of a city which has its own police force and fire service.
[US]
The shooting occurred in the 34th Precinct.
3. plural noun
The precincts of an institution are its buildings and land.
[formal]
No one carrying arms is allowed within the precincts of a temple.
More Synonyms of precinct
precinct in British English
(ˈpriːsɪŋkt)
noun
1.
a.
an enclosed area or building marked by a fixed boundary such as a wall
b.
such a boundary
2.
an area in a town, often closed to traffic, that is designed or reserved for a particular purpose
a shopping precinct
pedestrian precinct
3. US
a.
a district of a city for administrative or police purposes
b.
the police responsible for such a district
4. US
a polling or electoral district
Word origin
C15: from Medieval Latin praecinctum (something) surrounded, from Latin praecingere to gird around, from prae before, around + cingere to gird
precinct in American English
(ˈprisɪŋkt)
noun
1.
a. [usually pl.]
an enclosure between buildings, walls, etc.
b. British
the grounds immediately surrounding a religious house or church
2. [pl.]
environs; a neighborhood
3. US
a.
a division of a city, as for police administration
b.
a subdivision of a ward, as for voting purposes
4. British
an area in a town closed to motor traffic, as for shopping
5.
any limited area, as of thought
6.
a boundary
Word origin
ME precincte < ML praecinctum < L praecinctus, pp. of praecingere, to encompass < prae-, before (see pre-) + cingere, to surround, gird (see cinch)
precinct in American English
(ˈprisɪŋkt)
noun
1.
a district, as of a city, marked out for governmental or administrative purposes,or for police protection
2. Also called: precinct house
the police station in such a district
3. Also called: election district
one of a fixed number of districts, each containing one polling place, into whicha city, town, etc., is divided for voting purposes
4.
a space or place of definite or understood limits
5. (Often precincts)
an enclosing boundary or limit
6. See precincts
7. chiefly Brit
the ground immediately surrounding a church, temple, or the like
8.
a walled or otherwise bounded or limited space within which a building or place is situated
Word origin
[1350–1400; ME ‹ ML praecinctum, n. use of neut. of L praecinctus, ptp. of praecingere to gird about, surround, equiv. to prae-pre- + cing- (s. of cingere to surround; cf. cinch1) + -tus ptp. suffix]
Examples of 'precinct' in a sentence
precinct
You can just go down the shopping precinct.
The Sun (2012)
Two churches survive within its precincts; one still serves as a place of worship.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The main shopping precinct appeared abandoned as locals kept away, fearing violence.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Instead a more practical mini-series will be set in a nearby shopping precinct.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
As a result, the motorist is made to feel like he or she is driving down a pedestrian precinct.
The Sun (2016)
Rather it is bleak, with the small precinct of shops shabby and some of the houses in poor condition.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The plot and subplots revolve as much around the police precinct and the town hall as the main characters' personal lives.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Many of her precinct captains had met or exceeded their targets for bringing out their core support of middle-aged and elderly women.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Yes, the new shopping precinct isn't wonderful but we have great plans for a university.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I doubt we will see them down the shopping precinct selling the Big Issue any time soon.
The Sun (2009)
They are often found in Japanese temple precincts and are so tough that a few specimens survived the Hiroshima blast when all other vegetation was wiped out.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In other languages
precinct
British English: precinct /ˈpriːsɪŋkt/ NOUN
A shopping precinct is an area in the centre of a town in which cars are not allowed.
American English: pedestrian area
Arabic: مَحَلّاتٌ تِـجَارِيَّةٌ حَوْلَ سَاحَةٍ
Brazilian Portuguese: recinto
Chinese: 区域
Croatian: četvrt
Czech: pěší zóna
Danish: område
Dutch: district
European Spanish: recinto
Finnish: kävelyalue
French: zone piétonne
German: Bezirk
Greek: περιφέρεια
Italian: zona
Japanese: 指定地区
Korean: 보행자 전용 구역
Norwegian: distrikt
Polish: obręb
European Portuguese: recinto
Romanian: circumscripție
Russian: пешеходная зона в центре города
Latin American Spanish: recinto
Swedish: polisdistrikt
Thai: เขต
Turkish: bölge kent
Ukrainian: обгороджена територія
Vietnamese: huyện
All related terms of 'precinct'
precinct police
the police responsible for a district of a city
precinct worker
a worker in a polling or electoral district (such as someone who mans voting , etc)
voting precinct
one of several areas, each containing a polling place, into which a town or city is split for voting purposes
precinct captain
the captain of the police responsible for a district of a city
precinct station
a police station for police responsible for a district of a city
shopping precinct
a pedestrian area containing shops , restaurants , etc, forming a single architectural unit and usually providing car-parking facilities
pedestrian precinct
A pedestrian precinct is a street or part of a town where vehicles are not allowed .