Search

to fasten or affix; join; connect:
to attach a photograph to an application with a staple.
to join in action or function; make part of:
to attach oneself to a group.
military. to place on temporary duty with or in -ssistance to a military unit.
to include as a quality or condition of something:
one proviso is attached to this legacy.
to -ssign or attribute:
to attach significance to a gesture.
to bind by ties of affection or regard:
you always attach yourself to people who end up hurting you.
law. to take (persons or property) by legal authority.
obsolete. to lay hold of; seize.
to adhere; pertain; belong (usually followed by to or upon):
no blame attaches to him.
contemporary examples

“attach form(s) w-2” would be an exercise in the stapling of nothingness.
up to a point: i do my own taxes with no help, except from a couple of bl–dy marys p. j. o’rourke april 14, 2014

the house and senate write up the fix the white house wants, but they attach it to something obama hates.
the gop could make obama kill obamacare michael tomasky november 9, 2014

the company could, for example, attach a consultancy clause to her severance agreement.
what brooks severance buys murdoch josh dzieza november 6, 2011

but it has encouraged the vatican to claim statehood—and the immunities from liability that attach to heads of state.
prosecute the pope geoffrey robertson march 31, 2010

at the school that day, lanza had used tape to attach two magazines—holding the equivalent of 60 bullets—to his rifle.
details emerge of adam lanza’s life at school and home christine pelisek december 15, 2012

historical examples

do you not see that by marrying warwick’s daughter you will attach him firmly to us?
a knight of the white cross g.a. henty

the only funny thing about it is its t-tle, and his spelling ‘attach’ ‘attatch.’
the fifth form at saint dominic’s talbot baines reed

modern life is infinitely rich in the high spiritual interests that attach to the possession of advanced art and science.
the wonders of life ernst haeckel

do you mean that you intend to attach yourself to me, to become one of my servants?
through veld and forest harry collingwood

it is of course surrounded by a flower-garden, which the english love to attach to all their buildings.
tour in england, ireland, and france, in the years 1826, 1827, 1828 and 1829. hermann pckler-muskau

verb (mainly transitive)
to join, fasten, or connect
(reflexive or p-ssive) to become -ssociated with or join, as in a business or other venture: he attached himself to the expedition
(intransitive) foll by to. to be inherent (in) or connected (with): responsibility attaches to the job
to attribute or ascribe: to attach importance to an event
to include or append, esp as a condition: a proviso is attached to the contract
(usually p-ssive) (military) to place on temporary duty with another unit
(usually p-ssive) to put (a member of an organization) to work in a different unit or agency, either with an expectation of reverting to, or while retaining some part of, the original working arrangement
to appoint officially
(law) to arrest or take (a person, property, etc) with lawful authority
(obsolete) to seize
v.

mid-14c. (mid-13c. in anglo-latin), “to take or seize (property or goods) by law,” a legal term, from old french atachier (11c.), earlier estachier “to attach, fix; stake up, support” (modern french attacher, also cf. italian attaccare), perhaps from a- “to” + frankish -stakon “a post, stake” or a similar germanic word (see stake (n.)). meaning “to fasten, affix, connect” is from c.1400. related: attached; attaching.
see: no strings attached