tie
(Informal)
[verb]
Synonyms:
- fasten, attach, bind, connect, join, knot, link, secure, tether
- restrict, bind, confine, hamper, hinder, limit, restrain
- draw, equal, match
[noun]
Synonyms:
- bond, affiliation, allegiance, commitment, connection, liaison, relationship
- fastening, bond, cord, fetter, knot, ligature, link
- draw, dead heat, deadlock, stalemate

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Antonyms: untie
Contrasted words: loose, loosen, disconnect
Related Idioms: tie hand and foot, tie one's hands
Related Words: fastener, fastening, attachment, attach, fasten, connect, join, link, anchor, moor, rivet, secure, lash, truss (up), band, cinch, gird, rope

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English Thesaurus: fasten, attach, join, glue, tape, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. tie¹ S2 W3 /taɪ/ verb (past tense and past participle tied, present participle tying, third person singular ties)
[Language: Old English; Origin: tigan]

1. STRING/ROPE
a) [transitive] to fasten things together or hold them in a particular position using a piece of string, rope etc Antonym : untie
tie something to/behind/onto etc something
Tie this label to your suitcase.
tie somebody to something
They tied him to a tree and beat him up.
tie something together (with something)
I kept all his letters tied together with a ribbon.
tie sb’s hands/arms/legs/feet
One of them tied her hands behind her back.
I tie my hair back when I’m jogging.
b) [transitive] to fasten something around, over etc something else and tie the ends together Antonym : untie
tie something around/over/under etc something
He had only a towel tied around his waist.
She tied a scarf over her head.
c) [transitive] to make a knot in a piece of string, rope etc, for example to fasten shoes or other clothes:
Can you tie your shoelaces by yourself?
tie a knot/bow
She pulled the ribbon tightly and tied a bow.
d) [intransitive] if a piece of clothing ties in a particular place, you fasten it there using a belt, bow etc:
This dress ties at the back.

2. GAME/COMPETITION [intransitive] (also be tied) if two players, teams etc tie or are tied in a game or competition, they finish it with an equal number of points
tie with
At the end of the season, we were tied with the Tigers.
tie for first/second etc place
Woosnam and Lyle tied for fourth place on 264.

3. be tied to something to be related to something and dependent on it:
The flat is tied to the job.
Interest rates are tied to the rate of inflation.

4. be tied to/by something to be restricted by a particular situation, job etc, so that you cannot do exactly what you want:
Many women felt tied to the house.
be tied to doing something
I didn’t want to be tied to commuting to London.
With children, you’re tied by school holidays.

5. tie the knot informal to get married

6. tie yourself (up) in knots informal to become very upset because you are confused, nervous, or worried

7. tie one on American English informal to get drunk
⇒ sb’s hands are tied at hand¹(43)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. tie² S3 W3 noun [countable]

1. MEN’S CLOTHES a long narrow piece of cloth tied in a knot around the neck, worn by men:
I wear a shirt and tie at work. ⇒ black-tie, bow tie

2. CONNECTION/RELATIONSHIP [usually plural] a strong relationship between people, groups, or countries
close/strong ties
the importance of strong family ties
tie between/with
close ties between the two countries
economic/diplomatic/personal etc ties
Japan’s strong economic ties with Taiwan
the ties of marriage/friendship/love etc ⇒ old school tie

3. RESULT [usually singular] the result of a game, competition, or election when two or more people or teams get the same number of points, votes etc Synonym : draw British English:
The match ended in a tie.

4. FOR CLOSING SOMETHING a piece of string, wire etc used to fasten or close something such as a bag

5. GAME British English one game, especially of football, that is part of a larger competition
tie against
England’s World Cup tie against Argentina
first round/second round etc tie
home/away tie

6. PREVENT YOU FROM DOING SOMETHING something that means you must stay in one place, job etc or prevents you from being free to do what you want:
If you enjoy travelling, young children can be a tie.

7. RAILWAY American English a heavy piece of wood or metal supporting a railway track Synonym : sleeper British English

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

tie
noun
I. worn round the neck with a shirt
ADJ. undone His tie was undone.
loose | askew His tie was askew and his hair dishevelled.
loud | bootlace, bow, kipper | black, white (= a black/white bow tie as part of formal dress) a black-tie dinner
club, college, regimental, school
VERB + TIE knot, tie | loosen | adjust, straighten
TIE + NOUN pin
PHRASES collar/jacket/shirt/suit and tie
 ⇒ Special page at CLOTHES

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

tie
II. (usually ties) sth that connects you with sb/sth
ADJ. close, strong | weak | blood, family | emotional | personal | business, commercial, economic | cultural, diplomatic, political, social, traditional
VERB + TIE have We have close economic ties with our neighbours.
establish | cement, strengthen | cut, sever He cut all ties with the Church.
loosen, weaken
PREP. ~ between There is a strong tie between her and her daughters.
~ of ties of kinship
~ to/with to establish diplomatic ties with China

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

tie
III. in a game/competition
VERB + TIE end in, result in The match ended in a tie.
TIE + NOUN break/breaker
PREP. ~ between a tie between Egypt and France
~ for There was a tie for first place.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

tie
verb
I. attach/fasten sb/sth with string/rope
ADV. firmly, securely, tightly Did you tie the balloons on tightly?
loosely He wore plimsolls, loosely tied with bits of string.
carefully | neatly Tie the cords neatly.
back, on, together, up
PREP. around/round He tied his dressing gown firmly around him.
onto I tied the bundle onto the end of the string.
to She tied the rope securely to a tree.
with Katie tied her hair back with a ribbon.
PHRASES tie sb hand and foot The prisoners were tied hand and foot.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

tie
II. connect sb/sth with sb/sth else
ADV. closely, intimately Their company's future is closely tied to our own.
directly | firmly | inextricably | in, together, up Production and consumption are inextricably tied together.
PREP. in with The concert will tie in with the festival of dance taking place the same weekend.
to You can't stay tied to her forever.
up with Her behaviour is tied up with her feelings of guilt.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

fasten to join together the two sides of a piece of clothing, bag, belt etc:
He fastened the necklace behind her neck.
attach to fasten something firmly to another object or surface, using screws, nails, tape, glue etc:
The boards were attached with screws.
The prisoner was attached to the wall with chains.
join to connect or fasten things together:
Join the pieces using a strong glue
glue to join things together using glue:
Glue the fabric to the white card.
tape to fasten something using tape:
The students' name cards were taped to the table.
staple to fasten something using staples (=a small piece of wire that is pressed through paper using a special machine):
Don't staple your resumé to your cover letter.
clip to fasten things together using a clip (=a small metal object):
A photo was clipped to the letter.
tie to fasten a tie, shoelaces etc by making a knot:
Don't forget to tie your shoelaces!
do something up especially British English to fasten a piece of clothing or the buttons etc on it:
The teacher doesn't have time to do up every child's coat.
Let me do it up for you.
button (up) to fasten a shirt, coat etc with buttons:
His shirt was buttoned right to the top.
zip (up) to fasten a piece of clothing, a bag etc with a zip:
Zip up your jacket, it's cold.
buckle (up) to fasten a seat belt, belt, shoe etc that has a buckle (=small metal object that fits through a hole in a strap):
The little girl struggled to buckle her shoes.
unfasten/untie/undo/unbutton/unzip to open something that is fastened:
Do not unfasten your seatbelt until the car has stopped completely.
close/strong ties
He had developed close ties with many Republican governors.
family/blood ties
Family ties have been weakened by older people living apart from their children.
personal ties
Strong personal ties connect her to the area.
emotional ties
He was a loner who failed to develop emotional ties with other people.
economic ties
Japan and South Korea have close economic ties.
diplomatic ties
the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries
social ties
Besides marriage, other social ties drew people together.
ties of marriage/friendship/blood etc
The ties of friendship that unite the two countries.
maintain/develop ties
The U.S. is committed to maintaining close ties with Europe.
establish ties
Israel established full diplomatic ties with the Vatican in 1994.
cut/sever ties
He said that he planned to sever his ties with the club.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲

tie
taɪ
See: fit to be tied

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

TIE
Take It Easy

[TahlilGaran] Acronyms and Abbreviations Dictionary ▲