binding Definition

bind
verb bound, binding

1. To tie or fasten tightly.

Thesaurus: secure, fasten, tie, shackle, fetter, cinch, clamp, manacle, handcuff, hitch, tether, yoke, truss.
2. To tie or pass strips of cloth or bandage, etc around it.

Thesaurus: dress, wrap, bandage, treat.
Form: bind something up (often)
3. To control or prevent someone or something from moving; to restrain them or it. See also bound¹.
4. To make someone promise to do something.
5. To require or oblige someone to do something.

Example: He is legally bound to reply
Thesaurus: obligate, oblige, require, necessitate, compel, force, indenture.
6. To fasten together and put a cover on (the separate pages of a book).
7. To put a strip of cloth on the edge of something to strengthen it.
8. To cause (dry ingredients) to stick together.
intr
9. To stick together; to become bound.
intr
10. slang
To complain about it.
Form: bind on about something (especially)

noun

colloq:
1. A difficult, tedious or annoying situation.

Thesaurus: predicament, dilemma, jam (slang), quandary, difficulty, impasse, hole.
2. A restriction; something that limits or hampers one.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon bindan.

Phrasal Verb: bind someone over

To make them legally obliged to do a particular thing, especially to ‘keep the peace' and not cause a disturbance. See also bound¹.

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binding
noun

1. The part of a book cover on to which the pages are stuck.
2. Cloth or tape, etc used to bind something.

Thesaurus: tie, adhesive, fastener, band, rope, wire.

adj

1. Formally or legally obliging or constraining someone to do something.

Example: a binding contract
Thesaurus: restraining, confining, limiting, constraining, tying, mandatory, necessary, essential, obligatory, requisite, required, compulsory; Antonym: optional.