Bind

//baɪnd// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    That which binds or ties. countable
  2. 2
    something that hinders as if with bonds wordnet
  3. 3
    A troublesome situation; a problem; a predicament or quandary. countable
  4. 4
    Any twining or climbing plant or stem, especially a hop vine; a bine. countable, uncountable
  5. 5
    A ligature or tie for grouping notes. countable
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    A strong grip or stranglehold on a position, which is difficult for the opponent to break. countable

    "the Maróczy Bind"

  2. 7
    The indurated clay of coal mines, or other overlying substances such as sandstone or shale. countable, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To tie; to confine by any ligature. intransitive

    "They that reap must sheaf and bind."

  2. 2
    cause to be constipated wordnet
  3. 3
    To cohere or stick together in a mass. intransitive

    "We’ll throw it in just to make the cheese more binding."

  4. 4
    form a chemical bond with wordnet
  5. 5
    To be restrained from motion, or from customary or natural action, as by friction. intransitive

    "I wish I knew why the sewing machine binds up after I use it for a while."

Show 25 more definitions
  1. 6
    bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted wordnet
  2. 7
    To exert a binding or restraining influence. intransitive

    "These are the ties that bind."

  3. 8
    fasten or secure with a rope, string, or cord wordnet
  4. 9
    To tie or fasten tightly together, with a cord, band, ligature, chain, etc. transitive

    "To bind grain in bundles."

  5. 10
    secure with or as if with ropes wordnet
  6. 11
    To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind. transitive

    "Gravity binds the planets to the sun."

  7. 12
    make fast; tie or secure, with or as if with a rope wordnet
  8. 13
    To couple. transitive
  9. 14
    wrap around with something so as to cover or enclose wordnet
  10. 15
    To oblige, restrain, or hold, by authority, law, duty, promise, vow, affection, or other social tie. figuratively

    "to bind the conscience."

  11. 16
    provide with a binding wordnet
  12. 17
    To put (a person) under definite legal obligations, especially, under the obligation of a bond or covenant.
  13. 18
    stick to firmly wordnet
  14. 19
    To place under legal obligation to serve.

    "To bind an apprenticeship."

  15. 20
    create social or emotional ties wordnet
  16. 21
    To protect or strengthen by applying a band or binding, as the edge of a carpet or garment. transitive
  17. 22
    To make fast (a thing) about or upon something, as by tying; to encircle with something. archaic, transitive

    "To bind a belt about one."

  18. 23
    To cover, as with a bandage. transitive

    "To bind up a wound."

  19. 24
    To prevent or restrain from customary or natural action, as by producing constipation. archaic, transitive

    "Certain drugs bind the bowels."

  20. 25
    To put together in a cover, as of books. transitive

    "The three novels were bound together."

  21. 26
    To make two or more elements stick together. transitive
  22. 27
    To associate an identifier with a value; to associate a variable name, method name, etc. with the content of a storage location. transitive

    "We bind the variable n to the value 2, and xs to "abcd"."

  23. 28
    To process one or more object modules into an executable program. transitive
  24. 29
    To complain; to whine about something. UK, dialectal

    ""But it's not much good piling up the pix if I can't sell them." "Oh do stop binding. Think of something. How will we eat, where will we sleep?""

  25. 30
    To wear a binder so as to flatten one's chest to give the appearance of a flat chest, usually done by trans men. intransitive

    "I haven't binded since I got my top surgery."

Etymology

Etymology 1

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.

Etymology 2

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.

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