# bond

/ˈbɑnd/ (US) · /bˈɒnd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bond
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. emotional connection

noun · CEFR B2

a strong feeling of friendship, love, or shared experience that joins people together.

For teachers: an emotional or social tie that unites individuals or groups.

- The shared hardship of the journey created a lasting bond between the travelers.
- Psychologists emphasize that the initial bond between a parent and child is crucial for healthy emotional development later in life.

### 2. finance

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

an official document that says a government or company owes you money and will pay it back with interest.

For teachers: a debt instrument issued by a government or corporation to raise capital, promising repayment of principal and interest.

- Many people invest in government bonds because they are considered very safe.
- The corporation issued ten-year bonds to finance the construction of its new manufacturing facility in Southeast Asia.

### 3. chemistry

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

the force that holds atoms together in a molecule.

For teachers: a lasting attraction between atoms, ions, or molecules that enables the formation of chemical compounds.

- Water is formed when a chemical bond joins hydrogen and oxygen atoms.
- The strength of the covalent bond determines the stability of the resulting molecular structure under high temperatures.

### 4. legal/bail

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

an amount of money paid as a promise that someone will return to court or finish a contract.

For teachers: a binding legal agreement or a sum of money paid as a guarantee of an obligation, such as appearing in court.

- The judge set the bail bond at five thousand dollars.
- The contractor was required to provide a performance bond to ensure the project would be completed according to the agreed specifications.

### 5. physical restraint

noun · CEFR B2 · Literary

something used to tie or hold someone's hands or feet so they cannot move.

For teachers: a physical restraint, such as a rope or chain, used to bind someone or something.

- The prisoner managed to break his bonds and escape into the woods.
- In the epic poem, the hero finally escapes the bonds that had held him captive for a decade.

### 6. to form a connection

verb · CEFR B2

to develop a strong relationship with someone.

For teachers: to establish an emotional or social connection with another person or group.

- The team spent the weekend hiking to help the new members bond.
- New mothers are encouraged to spend skin-to-skin time with their infants to help them bond immediately after birth.

### 7. to stick together

verb · CEFR B2 · Technical

to join two things together firmly, often using glue or heat.

For teachers: to join two surfaces or objects together using an adhesive, heat, or pressure.

- This special glue will bond plastic to metal in just a few seconds.
- The two layers of composite material are bonded together under extreme pressure to ensure maximum durability.

## Examples

- The mother and child share a very strong bond.
- Investors often buy a government bond when they want a safer place to keep their money during a recession.
- The structural integrity of the new polymer depends entirely on the covalent bond formed between the carbon atoms during the high-temperature curing process.

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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.