1. (v. t.) To tie, or confine with a cord, band, ligature, chain, etc.; to fetter; to make fast; as, to bind grain in bundles; to bind a prisoner.

2. (v. t.) To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind; as, attraction binds the planets to the sun; frost binds the earth, or the streams.

3. (v. t.) To cover, as with a bandage; to bandage or dress; -- sometimes with up; as, to bind up a wound.

4. (v. t.) To make fast (a thing) about or upon something, as by tying; to encircle with something; as, to bind a belt about one; to bind a compress upon a part.

5. (v. t.) To prevent or restrain from customary or natural action; as, certain drugs bind the bowels.

6. (v. t.) To protect or strengthen by a band or binding, as the edge of a carpet or garment.

7. (v. t.) To sew or fasten together, and enclose in a cover; as, to bind a book.

8. (v. t.) Fig.: To oblige, restrain, or hold, by authority, law, duty, promise, vow, affection, or other moral tie; as, to bind the conscience; to bind by kindness; bound by affection; commerce binds nations to each other.

9. (v. t.) To bring (any one) under definite legal obligations; esp. under the obligation of a bond or covenant.

10. (v. t.) To place under legal obligation to serve; to indenture; as, to bind an apprentice; -- sometimes with out; as, bound out to service.

11. (v. i.) To tie; to confine by any ligature.

12. (v. i.) To contract; to grow hard or stiff; to cohere or stick together in a mass; as, clay binds by heat.

13. (v. i.) To be restrained from motion, or from customary or natural action, as by friction.

14. (v. i.) To exert a binding or restraining influence.

15. (n.) That which binds or ties.

16. (n.) Any twining or climbing plant or stem, esp. a hop vine.

17. (n.) Indurate clay, when much mixed with the oxide of iron.

18. (n.) A ligature or tie for grouping notes.

accept obligation adjoin afterthought agglutinate agree to ally anchor annoyance answer for apply apprentice article associate attach band bandage bar be answerable for be responsible for be security for befringe belt bend bind over bind up block block up blockade blockage border bore bother bound brace bracket braze bridle bundle bung bureaucratic delay caulk cause cause to cement chain chink choke choke off choke up cinch clog clog up clutch commit compel complication congest connect constipate constrain contract cork correlate couple cover crunch dam dam up delay delayage delayed reaction detention dilemma do up double take dragging draw a parallel drive edge embarrassing position embarrassment enchain encircle enforce enframe engage entrammel equate fasten fetter fill fill up fine how-do-you-do fix force foul frame fringe fuse gird girdle girt girth glue go bail for gum gyve halt hamper handcuff hang-up have have an understanding hell to pay hem hindrance hobble hog-tie hold holdup hopple hot water how-do-you-do identify imbroglio impel indenture interim interrelate irritant irritation jam lace lag lagging lap lash leash line link list logjam make make fast make imperative make incumbent manacle march marge margin marginate mess mix moor morass moratorium obligate oblige obstipate obstruct obstruction ordeal pack paperasserie parallel parallelize parlous straits pass paste pause peg down picket pickle pin down pinch pinion pledge plight plug plug up predicament pretty pass pretty pickle pretty predicament purfle purl put in irons quagmire quicksand red tape red-tapeism red-tapery relate relativize reprieve require respite restrain retardance retardation rim rope saddle with scrape secure set off shackle shake hands on side skirt slough slow-up slowdown slowness solder spile splice spot squeeze stanch stay stay of execution stench stew stick stick together sticky wicket stop stop up stoppage stopper stopple strait straitjacket straits strap stuff stuff up suspension swaddle swamp swathe take the vows tether tie tie down tie up tie-up tight spot tight squeeze tightrope time lag trammel trial