discipline noun - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com

Definition of discipline noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

discipline

noun
 
/ˈdɪsəplɪn/
 
/ˈdɪsəplɪn/
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  1. [uncountable] the practice of training people to obey rules and orders and punishing them if they do not; the controlled behaviour or situation that is the result of this training
    • The school has a reputation for high standards of discipline.
    • Strict discipline is imposed on army recruits.
    • harsh/rigorous/rigid/iron discipline
    • She keeps good discipline in class.
    • to instill/enforce/impose/maintain discipline
    • Lack of discipline at home meant that many pupils found it difficult to settle in to the ordered environment of the school.
    • a serious breach of discipline
    opposite indiscipline
    Extra Examples
    • He quickly brought order and discipline to the regiment.
    • It's unfair to dismiss somebody for a single breach of discipline.
    • Modern schools lack discipline.
    • She believes children need discipline.
    • Students have to learn discipline.
    • The chancellor has stabilized the economy through strict fiscal discipline.
    • The new headmaster tightened discipline in the school.
    • The school was criticized for having very poor discipline.
    • The teacher was unable to maintain discipline.
    • They submitted to the discipline imposed by their leaders.
    • We need better discipline in our schools.
    • We need someone who is good at instilling discipline.
    • a breakdown of discipline in the classroom
    • strict military discipline
    • the discipline that the party exercises over its members
    Topics Working lifeb2, Educationb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • effective
    • firm
    • good
    verb + discipline
    • enforce
    • exercise
    • impose
    discipline + noun
    • problem
    phrases
    • a breach of discipline
    • a breakdown in discipline
    • a breakdown of discipline
    See full entry
  2. [countable] a method of training your mind or body or of controlling your behaviour; an area of activity where this is necessary
    • Yoga is a good discipline for learning to relax.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • good
    • great
    • strict
    verb + discipline
    • have
    • show
    • lack
    phrases
    • a lack of discipline
    See full entry
  3. [uncountable] the ability to control your behaviour or the way you live, work, etc.
    • He'll never get anywhere working for himself—he's got no discipline.
    • Her determination and discipline were admirable.
    see also self-discipline
    Extra Examples
    • It is good discipline to learn to delegate.
    • It takes great discipline to learn a musical instrument.
    • something to help you bring discipline to your decision-making process
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • good
    • great
    • strict
    verb + discipline
    • have
    • show
    • lack
    phrases
    • a lack of discipline
    See full entry
  4. [countable] (formal) an area of knowledge; a subject that people study or are taught, especially in a university
    • The new recruits were drawn from a range of academic disciplines.
    Extra Examples
    • Scholars from various disciplines have been working on these problems.
    • Applications are welcome from candidates with a degree in a mathematics or other relevant discipline.
    • social work and its related disciplines
    • experts in multiple disciplines
    • academics from diverse academic disciplines
    • When did sociology emerge as a distinct discipline?
    • They established psychology as an academic discipline.
    • The university offers a wide range of disciplines.
    • There is a lack of communication across disciplines.
    • Students are to be tested on the three core disciplines: mathematics, English and science.
    • Within a discipline there may be more than one school of thought.
    Topics Educationc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • core
    • main
    • major
    preposition
    • across disciplines
    • within a/​the discipline
    phrases
    • different disciplines
    • diverse disciplines
    • multiple disciplines
    See full entry
  5. Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘mortification by punishing oneself’): via Old French from Latin disciplina ‘instruction, knowledge’, from discipulus ‘learner’, from discere ‘learn’.
See discipline in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee discipline in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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