Dictionary

bind

Etymology

From Middle English binden, from Old English bindan, from Proto-West Germanic *bindan, from Proto-Germanic *bindaną (compare Western Frisian bine, Dutch binden, Low German binnen, German binden, Danish binde), from Proto-Indo-European , from *bʰendʰ- ("to tie").

Compare Welsh benn, Latin offendīx, Lithuanian beñdras, Albanian bind, Ancient Greek πεῖσμα, Persian بستن, Sanskrit बन्धति. Doublet of bandana.

Pronunciation

IPA: /baɪnd/

Verb

bind (binds, present participle binding; simple past and past participle bound)

(intransitive) To tie; to confine by any ligature.
- c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene ii]:
  They that reap must sheaf and bind.
(intransitive) To cohere or stick together in a mass.
We’ll throw it in just to make the cheese more binding.
- 1707, J[ohn] Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry; or, The Way of Managing and Improving of Land. […], London: […] J[ohn] H[umphreys] for H[enry] Mortlock […], and J[onathan] Robinson […], →OCLC ↗:
  unlocks their [clay’s] binding Quality.
(intransitive) To be restrained from motion, or from customary or natural action, as by friction.
I wish I knew why the sewing machine binds up after I use it for a while.
(intransitive) To exert a binding or restraining influence.
These are the ties that bind.
(transitive) To tie or fasten tightly together, with a cord, band, ligature, chain, etc.
Synonyms: fetter, make fast, tie, fasten, restrain
to bind grain in bundles to bind a prisoner
(transitive) To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind.
Gravity binds the planets to the sun.
Frost binds the earth.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Job 28:11 ↗:
  He bindeth the flouds from ouerflowing, and the thing that is hid, bringeth he foorth to light.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC ↗, Luke 13:16 ↗:
  And ought not this woman being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, loe these eighteene yeeres, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?
(transitive) To couple.
(figuratively) To oblige, restrain, or hold, by authority, law, duty, promise, vow, affection, or other social tie.
Synonyms: restrain, restrict, obligate
to bind the conscience to bind by kindness bound by affection commerce binds nations to each other
- c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act III, scene iii], page 11 ↗, column 2:
  I am much bounden to your Maieſty.
- 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain'd. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC ↗, page 25 ↗, line 310:
  Who made our Laws to bind us, not himſelf,
(law) To put (a person) under definite legal obligations, especially, under the obligation of a bond or covenant.
(law) To place under legal obligation to serve.
Synonyms: indenture
to bind an apprentice bound out to service
(transitive) To protect or strengthen by applying a band or binding, as the edge of a carpet or garment.
(transitive, archaic) To make fast (a thing) about or upon something, as by tying; to encircle with something.
to bind a belt about one to bind a compress upon a wound
(transitive) To cover, as with a bandage.
Synonyms: bandage, dress
to bind up a wound
(transitive, archaic) To prevent or restrain from customary or natural action, as by producing constipation.
Certain drugs bind the bowels.
(transitive) To put together in a cover, as of books.
The three novels were bound together.
(transitive, chemistry) To make two or more elements stick together.
(transitive, computer programming) To associate an identifier with a value; to associate a variable name, method name, etc. with the content of a storage location.
- 2008, Bryan O'Sullivan, John Goerzen, Donald Bruce Stewart, Real World Haskell, page 33:
  We bind the variable n to the value 2, and xs to "abcd".
(transitive, computer programming) To process one or more object modules into an executable program.
(UK, dialect) To complain; to whine about something.
(intransitive, , LGBT) To wear a binder so as to flatten one's chest to give the appearance of a flat chest, usually done by trans men.
I haven't binded since I got my top surgery.
I hear binder tech has improved since I last bound.