bind

bind1 [ baınd ] (past tense and past participle bound [ baund ] ) verb ***

▸ 1 tie something

▸ 2 unite people

▸ 3 force someone to obey rule

▸ 4 fasten book together

▸ 5 when substances mix

▸ 6 decorate edges

1. ) transitive to tie someone's hands or feet together so they cannot move:

bind someone/something with something: They bound his hands with a rope.

be bound and gagged (=to be tied up and have a cloth tied around your mouth): He was found bound and gagged in the trunk of a car.

a ) bind or bind up to wind a length of cloth, RIBBON, etc. around something several times:

Bind the wound up and leave it.

bind something with something: His bare feet were bound with strips of rag.

b ) to tie a number of things together:

bind something together: The papers were loosely bound together with string.

2. ) transitive to make two people or groups feel as if they are connected to each other in a very close way:

bind someone together: The troubles they had shared bound them much closer together.

3. ) transitive often passive to limit what someone is allowed to do by making them obey a rule or agreement:

bind someone to do something: The treaty binds each country to reduce pollution levels.

4. ) transitive to fasten the pages of a book together and put a cover on it:

a beautifully bound journal

5. ) intransitive or transitive if two substances bind, or if you bind two substances, they stick or mix together and become one substance:

Add in a little milk to bind the mixture.

6. ) transitive to decorate something or make it stronger by fastening a long piece of cloth along or around the edges:

a black vest bound with gold cord

bind

bind 2 [ baınd ] noun INFORMAL

be a bind BRITISH

to be annoying, difficult, or not convenient:

It's a real bind having to go all that way by train.

in a bind

in a difficult situation:

get in a bind: If you ever get in a bind you can always call us.