bound Meaning & Definition
What Does Bound Mean?
Bound is used as a verb meaning simple past and past participle of bind. As an adjective, it means Obliged (to). As an adjective, it means Ready, prepared.
Bound at a Glance
| Part of speech | verb, adjective, noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbaʊ̯nd/ |
| Synonyms | recoil, compelled and spring |
| Antonyms | free and unbound |
| Plural | bounds |
| Comparative / superlative | more bound, most bound |
| Verb forms | bounds, bounding, bounded |
Bound Definition (Verb)
- simple past and past participle of bind
I bound the splint to my leg.
Bound as an Adjective
- Obliged (to).
You are not legally bound to reply.
- That cannot stand alone as a free word.
- Constrained by a quantifier.
- Constipated; costive.
- Confined or restricted to a certain place.
railbound
- Unable to move in certain conditions.
snowbound
Adjective
- Ready, prepared.
- Ready to start or go (to); moving in the direction (of).
a Spanish trawler bound for the Irish Sea
- Very likely (to), certain to
They were bound to come into conflict eventually.
Bound as a Noun
- A boundary, the border which one must cross in order to enter or leave a territory.
I reached the northern bound of my property, took a deep breath and walked on.
- A value which is known to be greater or smaller than a given set of values.
Verb
- To surround a territory or other geographical entity; to form the boundary of.
grounds bounded on three sides by a river.
- To be the bound of.
Noun
- A sizeable jump, great leap.
The deer crossed the stream in a single bound.
- A spring from one foot to the other in dancing.
- A bounce; a rebound.
Verb
- To leap, move by jumping.
The rabbit bounded down the lane.
- To cause to leap.
to bound a horse
- To rebound; to bounce.
A rubber ball bounds on the floor.
- To cause to rebound; to throw so that it will rebound; to bounce.
to bound a ball on the floor
Verb
- To tie; to confine by any ligature.
- To cohere or stick together in a mass.
Just to make the cheese more binding
- To be restrained from motion, or from customary or natural action, as by friction.
I wish I knew why the sewing machine binds up after I use it for a while.
- To exert a binding or restraining influence.
These are the ties that bind.
- To tie or fasten tightly together, with a cord, band, ligature, chain, etc.
to bind grain in bundles to bind a prisoner
- To confine, restrain, or hold by physical force or influence of any kind.
Frost binds the earth.
- To couple.
- To oblige, restrain, or hold, by authority, law, duty, promise, vow, affection, or other social tie.
to bind the conscience to bind by kindness bound by affection commerce binds nations to each other
- To put (a person) under definite legal obligations, especially, under the obligation of a bond or covenant.
- To place under legal obligation to serve.
to bind an apprentice bound out to service
- To protect or strengthen by applying a band or binding, as the edge of a carpet or garment.
- To make fast (a thing) about or upon something, as by tying; to encircle with something.
to bind a belt about one to bind a compress upon a wound
- To cover, as with a bandage.
to bind up a wound
- To prevent or restrain from customary or natural action, as by producing constipation.
Certain drugs bind the bowels.
- To put together in a cover, as of books.
The three novels were bound together.
- To make two or more elements stick together.
- To associate an identifier with a value; to associate a variable name, method name, etc. with the content of a storage location.
- To complain; to whine about something.
Adjective
- (with infinitive) Obliged (to).
You are not legally bound to reply.
- (of a morpheme) That cannot stand alone as a free word.
- (of a variable) Constrained by a quantifier.
- Confined or restricted to a certain place; e.g. railbound.
- Unable to move in certain conditions; e.g. snowbound.
Adjective
- (with infinitive) Very likely (to), certain to
They were bound to come into conflict eventually.
Noun
- (often used in plural) A boundary, the border which one must cross in order to enter or leave a territory.
I reached the northern bound of my property, took a deep breath and walked on.
Verb
- To surround a territory or other geographical entity.
France, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra bound Spain.
- To be the boundary of.
Synonyms of Bound
Antonyms of Bound
Bound in a Sentence
I bound the splint to my leg.
I had bound the splint with duct tape.
You are not legally bound to reply.
railbound
snowbound
a Spanish trawler bound for the Irish Sea
Which way are you bound? —I'm already homeward bound.
Is that message bound for me?
They were bound to come into conflict eventually.
I reached the northern bound of my property, took a deep breath and walked on.
Somewhere within these bounds you may find a buried treasure.
grounds bounded on three sides by a river.
France, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra bound Spain.
Kansas is bounded by Nebraska on the north, Missouri on the east, Oklahoma on the south and Colorado on the west.
The deer crossed the stream in a single bound.
The rabbit bounded down the lane.
to bound a horse
A rubber ball bounds on the floor.
to bound a ball on the floor
Just to make the cheese more binding
I wish I knew why the sewing machine binds up after I use it for a while.
These are the ties that bind.
to bind grain in bundles to bind a prisoner
Frost binds the earth.
to bind the conscience to bind by kindness bound by affection commerce binds nations to each other
to bind an apprentice bound out to service
to bind a belt about one to bind a compress upon a wound
to bind up a wound
Certain drugs bind the bowels.
The three novels were bound together.
the bound of a ball
a rubber ball bounds on the floor
Word Forms & Grammar
bound
bound (not comparable)
bound (comparative more bound, superlative most bound)
bound (plural bounds)
bound (third-person singular simple present bounds, present participle bounding, simple past and past participle bounded)
Words That Rhyme With Bound
Origin of Bound
Origin 1: From Middle English bound, bund (preterite) and bounden, bunden, ibunden, ȝebunden (past participle), from Old English bund- and bunden, ġebunden respectively. See bind.
Origin 2: From Middle English bownde, alternation (with -d partly for euphonic effect and partly by association with Etymology 1 above) of Middle English boun, from Old Norse búinn, past participle of búa (“to prepare”).
Origin 3: From Middle English bounde, from Old French bunne, from Medieval Latin bodina, earlier butina (“a bound, limit”).
Origin 4: From Middle English bounden, from the noun (see above).
Common Questions About Bound
Is bound a verb or an adjective?
Bound is mainly used as a verb, but it can also be used as an adjective and a noun.
What is another word for bound?
Words with a similar meaning to bound include recoil, compelled and spring. See the full list of bound synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of bound?
The plural of bound is bounds.
What is the past tense of bound?
The past tense of bound is bounded. The present participle is bounding.