English Explanatory Dictionary

bind

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To tie; to confine by any ligature.
  2. To cohere or stick together in a mass.
  3. To be restrained from motion, or from customary or natural action, as by friction.
  4. To exert a binding or restraining influence.
  5. To tie or fasten tightly together, with a cord, band, ligature, chain, etc.
  6. To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind.
  7. To couple.
  8. To oblige, restrain, or hold, by authority, law, duty, promise, vow, affection, or other social tie.
  9. To put (a person) under definite legal obligations, especially, under the obligation of a bond or covenant.
  10. To place under legal obligation to serve.
  11. To protect or strengthen by applying a band or binding, as the edge of a carpet or garment.
  12. To make fast (a thing) about or upon something, as by tying; to encircle with something.
noun
  1. That which binds or ties.
  2. A troublesome situation; a problem; a predicament or quandary.
  3. Any twining or climbing plant or stem, especially a hop vine; a bine.
  4. A ligature or tie for grouping notes.
  5. A strong grip or stranglehold on a position, which is difficult for the opponent to break.
  6. The indurated clay of coal mines, or other overlying substances such as sandstone or shale.

Pronunciation

/ˈbaɪ̯nd/ en-us-bind.ogg /ˈbaɪ̯n/

Word forms

bind binds binding bound binded bounden ybound ybounden

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *bindaną Proto-West Germanic *bindan Old English bindan Middle English binden English bind From Middle English binden, from Old English bindan, from Proto-West Germanic *bindan, from Proto-Germanic *bindaną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰéndʰ-e-ti, from *bʰendʰ- (“to tie”). See also West Frisian bine, Dutch binden, Low German binnen, binden, German binden, Danish binde; also Welsh ben (“cart”), Latin offendīx (“knot, band”), Lithuanian beñdras (“partner”), Albanian bind (“to convince, to awe, to spell”), Ancient Greek πεῖσμα (peîsma, “cable, rope”), Persian بستن (bastan, “to bind”), Sanskrit बन्धति (bándhati). Doublet of bandana.

Synonyms

fetter make fast tie fasten restrain curtail behedge guard govern smother bind chasten check inhibit contain vanquish cork curb bury dampen hamshackle hold back hold down limit repress restrict shackle stay stifle stop straiten subdue suppress throttle underbring withhold withstrain obligate indenture bandage dress ass in a sling bucket of syrup calvary cauldron cross cross to bear difficulty dilemma dire straits doghouse fix hole jam kettle kettle of fish ordeal pickle pinch plight

Derived words

bindable bindee binder bindery bind hand and foot binding knot binding spell bind off bind on equip bind on pickup bind over bind spell bindstone bind to bindup bind up bind up in debind disbind GTP-binding protein hidebound inbind misbind overbind prebind rebind sex hormone binding globulin sex hormone-binding globulin sex-hormone-binding globulin spellbind unbind underbind upbind bellbind bindless bind rune bindweed cornbind double bind green-bind keybind Maróczy bind time bind

Translations

Esperanto: bindi
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