<p><strong>Verb</strong></p><ul><li>to fasten or secure with a band or bond.</li><li>to encircle with a band or ligature: She bound her hair with a ribbon.</li><li>to swathe or bandage (often followed by up): to bind up one's wounds.</li><li>to fasten around; fix in place by girding: They bound his hands behind him.</li><li>to tie up (anything, as sheaves of grain).</li><li>to cause to cohere: Ice bound the soil.</li><li>to unite by any legal or moral tie: to be bound by a contract.</li><li>to hold to a particular state, place, employment, etc.: Business kept him bound to the city.</li><li>to place under obligation or compulsion (usually used passively): We are bound by good sense to obey the country's laws.</li><li>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.</li><li>to make compulsory or obligatory: to bind the order with a deposit.</li><li>to fasten or secure within a cover, as a book: They will bind the new book in leather.</li><li>to cover the edge of, as for protection or ornament: to bind a carpet.</li><li>(of clothing) to chafe or restrict (the wearer): This shirt binds me under the arms.</li><li>to hinder or restrain (the bowels) from their natural function; constipate.</li><li>to indenture as an apprentice (often followed by out): In his youth his father bound him to a blacksmith.</li></ul><p><strong>Noun</strong></p><ul><li>the act or process of binding; the state or instance of being bound.</li><li>something that binds.</li><li>a difficult situation or predicament: This schedule has us in a bind.</li><li>a tie, slur, or brace.</li><li>the act of binding to prey in flight.</li></ul>