# bind

/ˈbaɪnd/ (US) · /bˈaɪnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bind
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to tie together

verb · CEFR B1

to tie or fasten things together tightly using rope, string, or tape.

For teachers: to fasten or secure multiple objects together using a ligature or band. Transitive; requires a direct object.

- The workers used heavy rope to bind the logs together before moving them.
- The kidnappers used plastic zip ties to bind the victim's hands, ensuring they were tight enough to prevent any chance of escape.

### 2. legal or moral duty

verb · CEFR B2 · Formal

to force someone to do something because of a law, a promise, or a contract.

For teachers: to impose a legal or moral obligation upon a person or entity. Often used in the passive voice.

- The contract will bind both companies to the agreement for three years.
- The treaty is designed to bind all signatory nations to a strict schedule of carbon emission reductions over the next decade.

### 3. to stick together

verb · CEFR B2

to make things stay together in a single mass, like ingredients in cooking.

For teachers: to cause separate particles or substances to cohere or form a unified mass through chemical or physical attraction.

- You can add an egg to the mixture to help the breadcrumbs bind to the meat.
- The researchers observed how the protein molecules bind to the surface of the cell, triggering a specific immune response.

### 4. bookmaking

verb · CEFR B2

to put the pages of a book together and fasten them inside a cover.

For teachers: to assemble and fasten the sheets of a book together within a protective cover.

- The local shop can bind your university thesis in a professional leather cover.
- The rare manuscript was bound in vellum during the sixteenth century, preserving the delicate parchment pages from environmental damage.

### 5. programming

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to connect a name or a key to a specific value or action in a computer program.

For teachers: to associate an identifier with a value, or a symbolic name with a physical memory address or executable code.

- You can bind the 'jump' action to the spacebar in the game settings.
- The framework allows developers to bind UI components directly to data models, ensuring the interface updates automatically when the underlying data changes.

### 6. to complain

verb · CEFR C2 · British English · Dialect

to complain or whine about something in an annoying way.

For teachers: to grumble, complain, or whine persistently.

- Stop binding about the weather and just put on a coat.
- He spent the entire afternoon binding about the minor changes to the office layout, much to the annoyance of his colleagues.

### 7. difficult situation

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a difficult situation where it is hard to decide what to do.

For teachers: a difficult, restrictive, or embarrassing situation; a predicament.

- I'm in a bit of a bind because I promised to be in two places at once.
- The sudden cancellation of the flight put the legal team in a serious bind, as they were expected in court the following morning.

## Examples

- The contract will bind both companies to the agreement.
- The chef used kitchen twine to bind the meat before roasting it to ensure it cooked evenly.
- In many ancient cultures, shared rituals served to bind the community together, creating a sense of collective identity that was essential for survival in harsh environments.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.