bind
/baɪnd/ (bre, ipa) · /baɪnd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbīnd/ (ame, mw)
bind — verb
1. to wrap rope, string, or a similar material around something or someone so that
to wrap rope, string, or a similar material around something or someone so that it stays firmly in place or cannot move.
The kidnappers bound Sami to a wooden chair with thick rope.
bind + object + to + noun + with + material
Ancient sailors bound the broken mast with strips of leather.
bind + object + with + material
Wairimu carefully bound the bundle of dry sticks with garden twine.
The prisoners' wrists were bound behind their backs.
Anya bound the loose pages together with a piece of red string.
文法句型
bind + object
bind + object + with + noun
bind + object + to + noun
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person; object is something or someone that needs to be held still. Frequently passive in news or formal writing about crimes or accidents.
常見錯誤
2. to wrap cloth or a bandage around a wound or an injured arm, leg, or other body
to wrap cloth or a bandage around a wound or an injured arm, leg, or other body area to protect or support it.
The nurse gently bound Camille's twisted ankle with a clean white bandage.
bind + injured body part + with + cloth
After the accident, Viraj bound her cut hand with a torn shirt.
The soldier bound his bleeding arm and kept walking toward the camp.
The physiotherapist bound Yuki's sprained wrist tightly to keep the joint still.
The doctor bound the boy's head where the stone had hit him.
文法句型
bind + body part
bind + body part + with + noun
用法筆記
Object is always a wounded or injured body part, or the dressing itself. Distinguish from sense 1: here the purpose is medical care, not restraint.
常見錯誤
3. to attach a thin strip of cloth, leather, or similar material along the edge of
to attach a thin strip of cloth, leather, or similar material along the edge of clothing or fabric so that the edge looks neat or lasts longer.
The tailor bound the jacket cuffs with soft black velvet.
bind + object (clothing edge) + with + material
Her grandmother bound the quilt edges with bright yellow ribbon.
The collar of the coat was bound in fine red silk.
Amara bound the hem of the skirt to stop it from fraying.
文法句型
bind + object + with + material
bind + object + in + material
用法筆記
Object is normally an edge, hem, cuff, or border of fabric or leather goods. Common in sewing, tailoring, and craft contexts; sounds technical in everyday speech.
4. to join loose sheets of paper along one edge and add a cover so that they form a
to join loose sheets of paper along one edge and add a cover so that they form a finished book.
The old workshop in Florence still binds books by hand.
bind + object (loose pages → book)
Sami had his thesis bound in dark green leather as a gift to himself.
have + object + bound (causative)
These ancient manuscripts were bound with wooden boards and brass clasps.
The print shop on the corner can bind your photo album in one hour.
文法句型
bind + object
bind + object + in + material
用法筆記
Often used in the passive or with 'have something bound'. Subject is usually a workshop, shop, or craftsperson; object is a book, manuscript, or report.
常見錯誤
5. in cooking and similar processes, to make small bits of food join into one solid
in cooking and similar processes, to make small bits of food join into one solid lump, or for the bits to join in this way themselves.
Add one beaten egg to bind the meatballs before you fry them.
bind + object (food mixture) — cooking context
A spoonful of cold water helps bind the pastry into a smooth dough.
The mixture will not bind unless you add a little melted butter.
Wairimu stirred the rice until the grains began to bind together.
Use breadcrumbs to bind the fish cakes so they keep their shape.
- hold together
phrasal and more common in casual recipe talk
- stick
everyday word; bind is preferred in printed recipes
- set
emphasises becoming firm rather than joining
文法句型
bind + object
bind + object + together
object + binds (intransitive)
用法筆記
Frequently transitive with cooking ingredients (egg, flour, water) as the subject. The intransitive form describes the food itself coming together. Distinguish from sense 6: here the joining is physical and mechanical, not chemical.
6. in chemistry or biology, when one substance joins to another through a chemical
in chemistry or biology, when one substance joins to another through a chemical bond, or when something causes that join to happen.
Iron atoms bind to oxygen to form rust on the metal surface.
bind + to + noun (chemistry pattern)
The drug binds with a specific protein inside the cell.
bind + with + noun
Hemoglobin in red blood cells binds oxygen and carries it through the body.
These antibodies bind tightly to the virus and stop it from spreading.
The new molecule was designed to bind with cancer cells only.
文法句型
bind + to + noun
bind + with + noun
bind + object
用法筆記
Most common in scientific writing. Object or prepositional phrase names the partner substance. Distinguish from sense 5: here the joining is at the level of atoms or molecules, not visible bits of food.
7. to bring people closer by giving them a strong shared feeling, loyalty, or exper
to bring people closer by giving them a strong shared feeling, loyalty, or experience that links them as a group.
Years of training together had bound the swim team into a tight family.
bind + group + together for shared loyalty
Grief over the flood bound the small village in a way no festival ever could.
shared experience binding a community
Sami felt that a deep loyalty bound him to his old school friends.
What binds these poets is a love for the mountains of northern Taiwan.
The promise the children made under the old oak tree bound them for life.
- unite
more general; can be by force or agreement, not only emotion
- connect
weaker; just a link, not the strong shared feeling
- draw together
phrasal; emphasises the process more than the lasting tie
文法句型
bind + somebody + together
bind + somebody + to + somebody
用法筆記
Subject is usually an abstract experience (grief, loyalty, hardship, a memory) rather than a person. Distinguish from sense 8 (OBLIGE), where the subject is typically a contract or duty.
常見錯誤
8. to place someone under a promise, contract, or rule that they must keep, so they
to place someone under a promise, contract, or rule that they must keep, so they no longer have a free choice about doing the thing.
The contract binds Wairimu to deliver the paintings before the New Year.
bind + somebody + to + infinitive in legal context
By signing the form, Camille was bound to repay the loan within five years.
passive: be bound to + infinitive
The treaty binds both governments to share weather data every month.
Doctors are bound by an oath to treat any patient who arrives in danger.
Her promise to her late father bound her to keep the family farm running.
文法句型
bind + somebody + to + do something
be bound by + agreement
用法筆記
Frequently passive ('be bound to', 'be bound by'). Subject is usually a contract, oath, treaty, or promise — not a person giving an order. Distinguish from sense 9 (RESTRICT), which is about limiting what someone can do rather than committing them to do something.
常見錯誤
9. to stop someone from acting freely by holding them to strict rules, laws, or con
to stop someone from acting freely by holding them to strict rules, laws, or conditions that limit their choices.
Old village rules still bind the women here from owning land in their own name.
bind + somebody + from + gerund
Amara felt bound by her job's strict dress code every single morning.
passive: be bound by + rules
The judge's order binds the company to a single supplier for two years.
Tradition bound the young prince more tightly than any rope around his wrists.
Many small farmers feel bound by old debts they can never fully pay off.
文法句型
bind + somebody + with/by + rules
用法筆記
Often passive ('be bound by'). The thing doing the binding is a rule, law, custom, or condition — not a physical rope (that's sense 1). Distinguish from sense 8 (OBLIGE): sense 8 forces you to do something; sense 9 stops you from doing what you want.
常見錯誤
10. to wrap your chest with tight cloth or a special garment so that your breasts lo
to wrap your chest with tight cloth or a special garment so that your breasts look flat under your clothes.
Before heading to school, Alex carefully bound their chest with a soft cotton band.
bind + (one's) chest with + material
The nurse warned River not to bind for more than eight hours at a time.
intransitive use: 'to bind' alone
Many trans teens save for months to buy a real binder instead of binding with bandages.
Sam learned to bind safely after watching a video by a community nurse.
文法句型
bind + (one's) chest
用法筆記
Used mainly in trans and non-binary contexts. The object, when present, is usually 'chest' (preferred) rather than 'breasts'. Often intransitive ('how long do you bind?'). Distinguish from sense 1 (TIE), which is about tying any object with rope or string.
常見錯誤
bind — noun
1. an awkward problem or tight spot where your choices are blocked, so you cannot e
an awkward problem or tight spot where your choices are blocked, so you cannot easily do what you want or need to do.
Viraj was in a real bind after she lost her wallet at the airport on Sunday night.
collocation: be in a (real) bind
The sudden rent increase put the Chen family in a bind for several months.
pattern: put someone in a bind
Sami found himself in a bind when both his sisters needed the car on Friday.
Calling in sick would have left the small bakery in a serious bind that morning.
Could you lend me twenty dollars until Tuesday? I'm in a bit of a bind.
- predicament
more formal; emphasises a difficult choice
- fix
informal, very close in meaning; slightly less urgent feel
- jam
informal; often suggests trouble of one's own making
- tight spot
informal; stresses lack of room to manoeuvre
文法句型
be in a bind
put someone in a bind
用法筆記
Almost always appears as 'in a bind' or 'put someone in a bind'. Rarely used as a bare noun without 'a' or a determiner, and seldom appears in plural.