Bind

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Bind, v. t. [AS. bindan, perfect tense band, bundon, p. p. bunden; akin to D. & G. binden, Dan. binde, Sw. & Icel. binda, Goth. bindan, Skr. bandh (for bhandh) to bind, cf. Gr. (for ) cable, and L. offendix.

•  To tie, or confine with a cord, band, ligature, chain, etc.; to fetter; to make fast; as, to bind grain in bundles; to bind a prisoner.  [1913 Webster]
•  To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind; as, attraction binds the planets to the sun; frost binds the earth, or the streams.  [1913 Webster]

  "He bindeth the floods from overflowing."  [1913 Webster]

  "Whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years."  [1913 Webster]
•  To cover, as with a bandage; to bandage or dress; -- sometimes with up; as, to bind up a wound.  [1913 Webster]
•  To make fast ( a thing) about or upon something, as by tying; to encircle with something; as, to bind a belt about one; to bind a compress upon a part.  [1913 Webster]
•  To prevent or restrain from customary or natural action; as, certain drugs bind the bowels.  [1913 Webster]
•  To protect or strengthen by a band or binding, as the edge of a carpet or garment.  [1913 Webster]
•  To sew or fasten together, and inclose in a cover; as, to bind a book.  [1913 Webster]
•  Fig.: To oblige, restrain, or hold, by authority, law, duty, promise, vow, affection, or other moral tie; as, to bind the conscience; to bind by kindness; bound by affection; commerce binds nations to each other.  [1913 Webster]

  "Who made our laws to bind us, not himself."  [1913 Webster]
•  To bring (any one) under definite legal obligations; esp. under the obligation of a bond or covenant.  [1913 Webster]

To bind over, to put under bonds to do something, as to appear at court, to keep the peace, etc. -- To bind to, to contract; as, to bind one's self to a wife. -- To bind up in, to cause to be wholly engrossed with; to absorb in.

Syn. -- To fetter; tie; fasten; restrain; restrict; oblige.

Bind, v. i. 

•  To tie; to confine by any ligature.  [1913 Webster]

  "They that reap must sheaf and bind."  [1913 Webster]
•  To contract; to grow hard or stiff; to cohere or stick together in a mass; as, clay binds by heat.  Mortimer.  [1913 Webster]
•  To be restrained from motion, or from customary or natural action, as by friction.  [1913 Webster]
•  To exert a binding or restraining influence.  Locke.  [1913 Webster]

Bind, n. 

•  That which binds or ties.  [1913 Webster]
•  Any twining or climbing plant or stem, esp. a hop vine; a bine.  [1913 Webster]
•  Indurated clay, when much mixed with the oxide of iron.  Kirwan.  [1913 Webster]
•  A ligature or tie for grouping notes.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Bind, v. & n.
--v. (past and past part. bound) (see also BOUNDEN).
1 tr. (often foll. by to, on, together) tie or fasten tightly.
2 tr. a restrain; put in bonds. b (as -bound adj.) constricted, obstructed (snowbound).
3 tr. esp. Cookery cause (ingredients) to cohere using another ingredient.
4 tr. fasten or hold together as a single mass.
5 tr. compel; impose an obligation or duty on.
6 tr. a edge (fabric etc.) with braid etc. b fix together and fasten (the pages of a book) in a cover.
7 tr. constipate.
8 tr. ratify (a bargain, agreement, etc.).
9 tr. (in passive) be required by an obligation or duty (am bound to answer).
10 tr. (often foll. by up) a put a bandage or other covering round. b fix together with something put round (bound her hair).
11 tr. indenture as an apprentice.
12 intr. (of snow etc.) cohere, stick.
13 intr. be prevented from moving freely.
14 intr. sl. complain.
--n.
1 colloq. a nuisance; a restriction.
2 = BINE.

Idiom

be bound up with be closely associated with. bind over Law order (a person) to do something, esp. keep the peace. bind up bandage. I'll be bound a statement of assurance, or guaranteeing the truth of something.

Etymology

OE bindan

THESAURUS

Bind

accept obligation, adjoin, afterthought, agglutinate, agree to, ally, anchor, annoyance, answer for, apply, apprentice, article, associate, attach, band, bandage, bar, be answerable for, be responsible for, be security for, befringe, belt, bend, bind over, bind up, block, block up, blockade, blockage, border, bore, bother, bound, brace, bracket, braze, bridle, bundle, bung, bureaucratic delay, caulk, cause, cause to, cement, chain, chink, choke, choke off, choke up, cinch, clog, clog up, clutch, commit, compel, complication, congest, connect, constipate, constrain, contract, cork, correlate, couple, cover, crunch, dam, dam up, delay, delayage, delayed reaction, detention, dilemma, do up, double take, dragging, draw a parallel, drive, edge, embarrassing position, embarrassment, enchain, encircle, enforce, enframe, engage, entrammel, equate, fasten, fetter, fill, fill up, fine how-do-you-do, fix, force, foul, frame, fringe, fuse, gird, girdle, girt, girth, glue, go bail for, gum, gyve, halt, hamper, handcuff, hang-up, have, have an understanding, hell to pay, hem, hindrance, hobble, hog-tie, hold, holdup, hopple, hot water, how-do-you-do, identify, imbroglio, impel, indenture, interim, interrelate, irritant, irritation, jam, lace, lag, lagging, lap, lash, leash, line, link, list, logjam, make, make fast, make imperative, make incumbent, manacle, march, marge, margin, marginate, mess, mix, moor, morass, moratorium, obligate, oblige, obstipate, obstruct, obstruction, ordeal, pack, paperasserie, parallel, parallelize, parlous straits, pass, paste, pause, peg down, picket, pickle, pin down, pinch, pinion, pledge, plight, plug, plug up, predicament, pretty pass, pretty pickle, pretty predicament, purfle, purl, put in irons, quagmire, quicksand, red tape, red-tapeism, red-tapery, relate, relativize, reprieve, require, respite, restrain, retardance, retardation, rim, rope, saddle with, scrape, secure, set off, shackle, shake hands on, side, skirt, slough, slow-up, slowdown, slowness, solder, spile, splice, spot, squeeze, stanch, stay, stay of execution, stench, stew, stick, stick together, sticky wicket, stop, stop up, stoppage, stopper, stopple, strait, straitjacket, straits, strap, stuff, stuff up, suspension, swaddle, swamp, swathe, take the vows, tether, tie, tie down, tie up, tie-up, tight spot, tight squeeze, tightrope, time lag, trammel, trial, tricky spot, trim, truss, undertake, unholy mess, use force upon, verge, vexation, wait, wed, weld, wire, wrap, wrap up, wreathe

ROGET THESAURUS

Bind

Junction

VB join, unite, conjoin, connect, associate, put together, lay together, clap together, hang together, lump together, hold together, piece together, tack together, fix together, bind up together together, embody, reembody, roll into one, attach, fix, affix, saddle on, fasten, bind, secure, clinch, twist, make fast, tie, pinion, string, strap, sew, lace, tat, stitch, tack, knit, button, buckle, hitch, lash, truss, bandage, braid, splice, swathe, gird, tether, moor, picket, harness, chain, fetter, lock, latch, belay, brace, hook, grapple, leash, couple, accouple, link, yoke, bracket, marry, bridge over, span, braze, pin, nail, bolt, hasp, clasp, clamp, crimp, screw, rivet, impact, solder, set, weld together, fuse together, wedge, rabbet, mortise, miter, jam, dovetail, enchase, graft, ingraft, inosculate, entwine, intwine, interlink, interlace, intertwine, intertwist, interweave, entangle, twine round, belay, tighten, trice up, screw up, be joined, hang together, hold together, cohere.

Compulsion

VB compel, force, make, drive, coerce, constrain, enforce, necessitate, oblige, force upon, press, cram down the throat, thrust down the throat, force down the throat, say it must be done, make a point of, insist upon, take no denial, put down, dragoon, extort, wring from, squeeze, put on the squeeze, put on the screws, turn on the screw, drag into, bind, bind over, pin down, tie down, require, tax, put in force, commandeer, restrain.

Conditions

VB make terms, come to terms, make it a condition, stipulate, insist upon, make a point of, bind, tie up.

Covering

VB cover, superpose, superimpose, overlay, overspread, wrap, encase, incase, face, case, veneer, pave, paper, tip, cap, bind, bulkhead, bulkhead in, clapboard, coat, paint, varnish, pay, incrust, stucco, dab, plaster, tar, wash, besmear, bedaub, anoint, do over, gild, plate, japan, lacquer, lacker, enamel, whitewash, parget, lay it on thick, overlie, overarch, endome, conceal, anodize, galvanize.

Duty

VB be the duty of, be incumbent, on, be responsible, behoove, become, befit, beseem, belong to, pertain to, fall to one's lot, devolve on, lie upon, lie on one's head, lie at one's door, rest with, rest on the shoulders of, take upon oneself, be bound to, become bound to, be sponsor for, become sponsor for, incur a responsibility, be under an obligation, stand under an obligation, lie under an obligation, have to answer for, owe to it oneself, impose a duty enjoin, require, exact, bind, bind over, saddle with, prescribe, assign, call upon, look to, oblige, enter upon a duty, perform a duty, observe a duty, fulfill a duty, discharge a duty, adhere to a duty, acquit oneself of a duty, satisfy a duty, enter upon an obligation, perform an obligation, observe an obligation, fulfill an obligation, discharge an obligation, adhere to an obligation, acquit oneself of an obligation, satisfy an obligation, act one's part, redeem one's pledge, do justice to, be at one's post, do duty, do one's duty, be on one's good behavior, mind one's P's and Q's.

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