bind
[verb]
Synonyms:
- secure, fasten, hitch, lash, stick, strap, tie, wrap
- oblige, compel, constrain, engage, force, necessitate, require
[noun]
Synonyms:
- nuisance, bore, difficulty, dilemma, drag (informal), pain in the neck (informal), quandary, spot (informal)

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Antonyms: unloose
Contrasted words: release

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. bind¹ /baɪnd/ verb (past tense and past participle bound /baʊnd/)
[Language: Old English; Origin: bindan]

1. TIE/FASTEN [transitive] written
a) to tie someone so that they cannot move or escape:
They bound my arms and legs with rope.
bound and gagged (=tied up, and with cloth tied around your mouth so you cannot speak)
b) (also bind up) to tie things firmly together with cloth or string:
The pile of newspapers was bound with string.

2. FORM A CONNECTION [transitive] to form a strong emotional or economic connection between two people, countries etc Synonym : unite
bind somebody/something together
Their shared experiences in war helped to bind the two communities together.

3. MAKE SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING [transitive usually passive] if you are bound by an agreement, promise etc, you must do what you have agreed to do or promised to do:
The monks are bound by vows of silence.
bind somebody to do something
Employees are not bound to give their reasons for leaving.

4. STICK TOGETHER [intransitive and transitive] technical to stick together in a mass, or to make small pieces of something stick together:
The flour mixture isn’t wet enough to bind properly.
bind with
The hydrogen molecule binds with the oxygen molecule.

5. BOOK [transitive] to fasten the pages of a book together and put them in a cover ⇒ bound²(9)

6. STITCH [transitive] to sew cloth over the edge of a piece of material, or stitch over it, to strengthen it:
The edges of the blanket were bound with ribbon.
bind somebody over phrasal verb [usually passive] law
a) British English if someone is bound over by a court of law, they are warned that, if they cause more trouble, they will be legally punished:
The demonstrators were bound over to keep the peace.
b) American English if someone is bound over for trial, they are forced by law to appear in a court

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. bind² noun [singular] informal
an annoying or difficult situation:
It’s a real bind having to look after the children.
in a bind
Caroline was really in a bind.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

bind
noun
ADJ. awful, dreadful, real, terrible | double
PREP. in a ~ He's in a double bind: he needs experience to get a job but he can't get experience without working.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

bind
verb
I. tie with rope/fabric
ADV. tightly They bound his hands together tightly.
ADV. together
PREP. to, with The sails are bound to the mast with cord.
PHRASES bind and gag sb, bind sb hand and foot She found herself bound hand and foot.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

bind
II. make sb do sth
ADV. contractually, legally, morally

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

bind
III. book
PHRASES be beautifully/handsomely/richly bound, be bound in sth two volumes bound in leather

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

bind
baɪnd
See: duty bound , in a bind , muscle bound , root-bound

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲