Bind

to fasten or secure with a band or bond.
to encircle with a band or ligature:
She bound her hair with a ribbon.
to swathe or bandage (often followed by up):
to bind up one’s wounds.
to fasten around; fix in place by girding:
They bound his hands behind him.
to tie up (anything, as sheaves of grain).
to cause to cohere:
Ice bound the soil.
to unite by any legal or moral tie:
to be bound by a contract.
to hold to a particular state, place, employment, etc.:
Business kept him bound to the city.
to place under obligation or compulsion (usually used passively):
We are bound by good sense to obey the country’s laws.
Law. to put under legal obligation, as to keep the peace or appear as a witness (often followed by over):
This action binds them to keep the peace. He was bound over to the grand jury.
to make compulsory or obligatory:
to bind the order with a deposit.
to fasten or secure within a cover, as a book:
They will bind the new book in leather.
to cover the edge of, as for protection or ornament:
to bind a carpet.
(of clothing) to chafe or restrict (the wearer):
This shirt binds me under the arms.
Medicine/Medical. to hinder or restrain (the bowels) from their natural operations; constipate.
to indenture as an apprentice (often followed by out):
In his youth his father bound him to a blacksmith.
to become compact or solid; cohere.
to be obligatory:
an obligation that binds.
to chafe or restrict, as poorly fitting garments:
This jacket binds through the shoulders.
to stick fast, as a drill in a hole.
Falconry. (of a hawk) to grapple or grasp prey firmly in flight.
the act or process of binding; the state or instance of being bound.
something that binds.
Music. a tie, slur, or brace.
Falconry. the act of binding prey in flight.
Informal. a difficult situation or predicament:
This schedule has us in a bind.
bind off, Textiles. to loop (one stitch) over another in making an edge on knitted fabric.
Contemporary Examples

President Obama’s New Jersey Gambit Centers on Hurricane Sandy Relief Howard Kurtz October 30, 2012
The Closeted Revolution: Kiev’s Gays Keep Quiet to Deny Putin a Propaganda Win James Kirchick March 31, 2014
Wheat Threatens All Humans, New Research Shows David Perlmutter, MD December 9, 2013
How Do You Make Inroads With Asian-Americans? November 13, 2012
The Office’s Michael Scott’s Funniest Moments Sujay Kumar April 27, 2011

Historical Examples

Shenac’s Work at Home Margaret Murray Robertson
The Black Tulip Alexandre Dumas (Pere)
Army Boys on the Firing Line Homer Randall
Modern Painters Volume II (of V) John Ruskin
Dracula’s Guest Bram Stoker

verb binds, binding, bound
to make or become fast or secure with or as if with a tie or band
(transitive) often foll by up. to encircle or enclose with a band: to bind the hair
(transitive) to place (someone) under obligation; oblige
(transitive) to impose legal obligations or duties upon (a person or party to an agreement)
(transitive) to make (a bargain, agreement, etc) irrevocable; seal
(transitive) to restrain or confine with or as if with ties, as of responsibility or loyalty
(transitive) to place under certain constraints; govern
(transitive) often foll by up. to bandage or swathe: to bind a wound
to cohere or stick or cause to cohere or stick: egg binds fat and flour
to make or become compact, stiff, or hard: frost binds the earth

(transitive) to enclose and fasten (the pages of a book) between covers
(intransitive) (of a book) to undergo this process

(transitive) to provide (a garment, hem, etc) with a border or edging, as for decoration or to prevent fraying
(transitive; sometimes foll by out or over) to employ as an apprentice; indenture
(intransitive) (slang) to complain
(transitive) (logic) to bring (a variable) into the scope of an appropriate quantifier See also bound1 (sense 9)
noun
something that binds
the act of binding or state of being bound
(informal) a difficult or annoying situation
another word for bine
(music) another word for tie (sense 17)
(mining) clay between layers of coal
(fencing) a pushing movement with the blade made to force one’s opponent’s sword from one line into another
(chess) a position in which one player’s pawns have a hold on the centre that makes it difficult for the opponent to advance there
v.
n.
bind
(bīnd)
To combine with, form a bond with, or be taken up by a chemical or chemical structure. An enzyme, for example, is structured in such a way as to be able to bind with its substrate.
Berkeley Internet Name Domain

bind hand and foot
bind over