bind

Meaning

Verb

1. (intransitive) To tie; to confine by any ligature.
2. (intransitive) To cohere or stick together in a mass.
3. (intransitive) To be restrained from motion, or from customary or natural action, as by friction.
4. (intransitive) To exert a binding or restraining influence.
5. (transitive) To tie or fasten tightly together, with a cord, band, ligature, chain, etc.
6. (transitive) To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind.
7. (transitive) To couple.
8. (figuratively) 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. (transitive) To protect or strengthen by applying a band or binding, as the edge of a carpet or garment.
12. (archaic, transitive) To make fast (a thing) about or upon something, as by tying; to encircle with something.
13. (transitive) To cover, as with a bandage.
14. (archaic, transitive) To prevent or restrain from customary or natural action, as by producing constipation.
15. (transitive) To put together in a cover, as of books.
16. (transitive) To make two or more elements stick together.
17. (transitive) To associate an identifier with a value; to associate a variable name, method name, etc. with the content of a storage location.
18. (transitive) To process one or more object modules into an executable program.
19. (UK, dialectal) To complain; to whine about something.
20. (intransitive) To wear a binder so as to flatten one's chest to give the appearance of a flat chest, usually done by trans men.

Noun

1. (countable) That which binds or ties.
2. (countable) A troublesome situation; a problem; a predicament or quandary.
3. (countable, uncountable) Any twining or climbing plant or stem, especially a hop vine; a bine.
4. (countable) A ligature or tie for grouping notes.
5. (countable) A strong grip or stranglehold on a position, which is difficult for the opponent to break.
6. (countable, uncountable) The indurated clay of coal mines, or other overlying substances such as sandstone or shale.

Synonyms

tie

fasten

tie up

join

connect

attach

restrain

link

🔗

wrap

bond

secure

tie together

bundle

tether

lash

truss

oblige

fetter

bandage

tie down

tie on

shackle

knot

🪢

tighten

fix

stick

restrict

associate

adhere

gird

chain

obligate

strap

couple

👫

moor

ligate

confine

coil

bind up

binding

string

🪢

enchain

entwine

squeeze

stick to

control

pack

band

pin

constipate

Translations

lier

🔗

attacher

binden

legare

atar

verbinden

binden

bağlamak

relier

verbinden

atar

ligar

🔗

amarrar

nouer

🪢

lligar

🔗

Pronounced as (IPA)

/baɪnd/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: binden

Inherited from Old English: bindan

Cognate with Western Frisian: bine

Cognate with Dutch: binden

Cognate with Low German: binnen

Cognate with German: binden

Cognate with Danish: binde

Cognate with Welsh: benn

Cognate with Latin: offendīx

Cognate with Lithuanian: beñdras

Cognate with Albanian: bind

Cognate with Ancient Greek: πεῖσμα

Cognate with Persian: بستن

Cognate with Sanskrit: बन्धति

In summary

From Middle English binden, from Old English bindan, from Proto-West Germanic *bindan, from Proto-Germanic *bindaną (compare West Frisian bine, Dutch binden, Low German binnen, binden, German binden, Danish binde), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰéndʰ-e-ti, from *bʰendʰ- (“to tie”).
Compare 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.