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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 assistance to a military unit.
to include as a quality or condition of something:
One proviso is attached to this legacy.
to assign 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.
a diplomatic official attached to an embassy or legation, especially in a technical capacity:
a commercial attaché; a cultural attaché.
a military officer who is assigned to a diplomatic post in a foreign country in order to gather military information:
an air attaché; an army attaché; a naval attaché.
Also, attache. .
Contemporary Examples

He attaches a large lock to the door and snaps it shut, locking us in the cell.
As Californians Weigh Proposition 34, a Look at Life on Death Row Christine Pelisek November 4, 2012

One of the assassins reaches out and attaches a magnetic bomb to the side of the car.
Who’s Killing Iran’s Scientists? Reza Aslan November 29, 2010

Once a month he attaches a device to his chest, clamps metal bracelets on his wrists, and hooks the whole thing up to a telephone.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days David Freeman December 12, 2014

More seriously: Carney attaches large significance to differences between PACs and the 527 group, Club for Growth.
K Street or the Tea Party? I Choose Neither. David Frum April 23, 2012

Square makes a small cube that attaches to tablets and mobile phones and becomes a credit-card swipe system.
What Market Panic? Halcyon Days for Silicon Valley Zachary Karabell March 6, 2012

Historical Examples

It forbids the use of a rosary, but attaches great merit to counting the ninety-nine names of God on the fingers.
The Faith of Islam Edward Sell

My heart is linked to it; it forms the one sole tie that attaches me to life.
The Fortunes Of Glencore Charles James Lever

They appear and reappear and continue to attract; but the regard changes, quits the sign and attaches to the substance.
Essays, First Series Ralph Waldo Emerson

It is the very strong link that attaches the individual to the whole.
The Moon and Sixpence W. Somerset Maugham

Each individual, when it first attaches itself to a host, presents the characters of the male sex.
The Life of Crustacea William Thomas Calman

verb (mainly transitive)
to join, fasten, or connect
(reflexive or passive) to become associated 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 passive) (military) to place on temporary duty with another unit
(usually passive) 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
noun
a specialist attached to a diplomatic mission: military attaché
(Brit) a junior member of the staff of an embassy or legation
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.
n.

1835, from French attaché “junior officer attached to the staff of an ambassador, etc.,” literally “attached,” past participle of attacher “to attach” (see attach). Attache case “small leather case for carrying papers” first recorded 1900.
attaché [(a-ta-shay, at-uh-shay)]

A diplomatic officer attached to an embassy or consulate. Most attachés have specialties, such as military attachés, cultural attachés, economic attachés, and so forth.

Note: Some nations disguise spies as attachés.

see: no strings attached