From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishboundsbounds[plural] a) RULE/REGULATIONthe limits of what is possible or acceptablewithin the bounds of something We are here to make sure that the police operate within the bounds of the law.be/go beyond the bounds of credibility/reason/decency etc The humor in the movie sometimes goes beyond the bounds of good taste.be within/beyond the bounds of possibility (=be possible/not possible) It was not beyond the bounds of possibility that they could meet again. b) LIMIT old-fashioned the edges of a town, city etc → bound
Examples from the Corpus
be/go beyond the bounds of credibility/reason/decency etc• To suggest that all unproductive consumption is solely capitalist personal consumption is to go beyond the bounds of credibility. 