discipline

Universal Words noun, verb noun 1 [U] the practice of training people to obey rules and orders and punishing them if they do not; the controlled behaviour or situation that results from this training: The school has a reputation for high standards of discipline. * Strict discipline is imposed on army recruits. * She keeps good discipline in class. * Lack of discipline at home meant that many pupils found it difficult to settle in to the ordered environment of the school. 2 [C] 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. 3 [U] 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. seealsoSELF-DISCIPLINE 4 [C] 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. verb 1 [VN] ~ sb (for sth) to punish sb for sth they have done: The officers were disciplined for using racist language. 2 [VN] to train sb, especially a child, to obey particular rules and control the way they behave: a guide to the best ways of disciplining your child 3 ~ yourself to control the way you behave and make yourself do things that you believe you should do: [VNtoinf] He disciplined himself to exercise at least three times a week. * [VN] Dieting is a matter of disciplining yourself. disciplined adjective: a disciplined army / team * a disciplined approach to work