bind

Plural: binds

Noun

• something that hinders as if with bonds
• That which binds or ties.
• A troublesome situation; a problem; a predicament or quandary.
• Any twining or climbing plant or stem, especially a hop vine; a bine.
• A ligature or tie for grouping notes.
• A strong grip or stranglehold on a position, which is difficult for the opponent to break.
• The indurated clay of coal mines, or other overlying substances such as sandstone or shale.

Verb

Verb Forms: bound, binding, binds

• To tie or secure, or to obligate by an agreement.
• stick to firmly
• create social or emotional ties
• make fast; tie or secure, with or as if with a rope
  • "The Chinese would bind the feet of their women"
• wrap around with something so as to cover or enclose
• secure with or as if with ropes
• bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted
• provide with a binding
  • "bind the books in leather"
• fasten or secure with a rope, string, or cord
• form a chemical bond with
  • "The hydrogen binds the oxygen"
• cause to be constipated
• To tie; to confine by any ligature.
• To cohere or stick together in a mass.
• To be restrained from motion, or from customary or natural action, as by friction.
• To exert a binding or restraining influence.
• To tie or fasten tightly together, with a cord, band, ligature, chain, etc.
• To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind.
• To couple.
• To oblige, restrain, or hold, by authority, law, duty, promise, vow, affection, or other social tie.
• To put (a person) under definite legal obligations, especially, under the obligation of a bond or covenant.
• To place under legal obligation to serve.
• To protect or strengthen by applying a band or binding, as the edge of a carpet or garment.
• To make fast (a thing) about or upon something, as by tying; to encircle with something.
• To cover, as with a bandage.
• To prevent or restrain from customary or natural action, as by producing constipation.
• To put together in a cover, as of books.
• To make two or more elements stick together.
• To associate an identifier with a value; to associate a variable name, method name, etc. with the content of a storage location.
• To process one or more object modules into an executable program.
• To complain; to whine about something.
• To wear a binder so as to flatten one's chest to give the appearance of a flat chest, usually done by trans men.

Examples

• Certain drugs bind the bowels.
• Frost binds the earth.
• Gravity binds the planets to the sun.
• He knew he had to BIND his letters together to form a powerful, unchallengeable word.
• I haven't binded since I got my top surgery.
• I hear binder tech has improved since I last bound.
• I wish I knew why the sewing machine binds up after I use it for a while.
• the Maróczy Bind
• The three novels were bound together.
• These are the ties that bind.
• To bind a belt about one.
• To bind a compress upon a wound.
• To bind a prisoner.
• To bind an apprenticeship.
• To bind grain in bundles.
• to bind the conscience.
• To bind up a wound.
• To bound out to service.
• We’ll throw it in just to make the cheese more binding.

Synonyms

adhere, attach, bandage, bond, constipate, hold, hold fast, obligate, oblige, stick, stick to, tie, tie down, tie up, truss, ass in a sling, behedge, bind, bucket of syrup, bury, calvary, chasten, check, contain, cork, cross, cross to bear, curb, curtail, dampen, difficulty, dilemma, dire straits, doghouse, dress, fasten, fetter, fix, guard, hamshackle, hold back, hold down, hole, indenture, jam, kettle of fish, limit, make fast, ordeal, pickle, pinch, plight, predicament, quagmire, quandary, repress, restrain, restrict, shackle, situation, spot, spot of bother, stay, sticky situation, sticky wicket, stifle, stop, straiten, subdue, suppress, throttle, tight spot, trouble, underbring, vanquish, withhold, withstrain

Antonyms

unbind, untie

Related Words

BINDABLE