Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CON'FINE, n. [L. confinis, at the end or border, adjoining; confinium, a limit; con and finis, end, border, limit; It. confine, confino; Sp. confin; Fr. and Port. confins. See Fine.]

Border; edge; exterior part; the part of any territory which is at or near the end or extremity. It is used generally in the plural, and applied chiefly to countries, territory, cities, rivers, &c. We say, the confines of France, or of Scotland; and figuratively, the confines of light, of death, or the grave; but never, the confines of a book, table, or small piece of land.