bound
1simple past tense and past participle of bind.
tied; in bonds: a bound prisoner.
made fast as if by a band or bond: She is bound to her family.
secured within a cover, as a book.
under a legal or moral obligation: He is bound by the terms of the contract.
determined or resolved: He is bound to go.
Pathology. constipated.
Mathematics. (of a vector) having a specified initial point as well as magnitude and direction.: Compare free (def. 32).
held with another element, substance, or material in chemical or physical union.
(of a linguistic form) occurring only in combination with other forms, as most affixes.: Compare free (def. 35).
Idioms about bound
bound up in / with,
inseparably connected with.
devoted or attached to: She is bound up in her teaching.
Origin of bound
1Other words for bound
5 | liable, obligated, obliged; compelled |
Other words from bound
- boundness, noun
Other definitions for bound (2 of 6)
a leap onward or upward; jump.
a rebound; bounce.
Origin of bound
2synonym study For bound
Other words from bound
- bound·ing·ly, adverb
Words that may be confused with bound
- bind, bound
Other definitions for bound (3 of 6)
something that limits, confines, or restrains.
bounds,
territories on or near a boundary.
land within boundary lines.
Mathematics. a number greater than or equal to, or less than or equal to, all the numbers in a given set.: Compare greatest lower bound, least upper bound, lower bound, upper bound.
to limit by or as if by bounds; keep within limits or confines.
to form the boundary or limit of.
to name or list the boundary of.
to abut.
Origin of bound
3Other words for bound
Other words from bound
- bound·a·ble, adjective
Other definitions for bound (4 of 6)
going or intending to go; on the way to; destined (usually followed by for): The train is bound for Denver.
Archaic. prepared; ready.
Origin of bound
4Other definitions for -bound (5 of 6)
a combining form of bound1: snowbound.
Other definitions for -bound (6 of 6)
a combining form of bound4: eastbound.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use bound in a sentence
If the operation caused no physical damage, it would be in bounds.
If it was the United States, the operation will test the bounds of international law.
Cosby is hardly the first star to step outside the bounds of marriage.
Thanks to George no topic is out of bounds, no language is off limits.
Inside the quarantine zone, even more specific procedures were outlined to keep those within the bounds of it safe.
Say that my anger has no bounds—that my heart is breaking—will break and kill me, if he persists in his ingratitude and cruelty.
He now knew no bounds to his wrath; and he proclaimed it in such a manner, that the terrified priest flew before him.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane PorterThe light which discovered its dismal bounds to his solitary eyes, came from a small grated aperture in the vaulted roof.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane PorterIt was a great thing to see the future King and Queen of England, and our loyalty and enthusiasm knew no bounds.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland | Joseph TatlowSoon he begins to trot, and, when he thinks himself out of sight, bounds off like a greyhound.
Hunting the Lions | R.M. Ballantyne
British Dictionary definitions for bound (1 of 4)
/ (baʊnd) /
the past tense and past participle of bind
in bonds or chains; tied with or as if with a rope: a bound prisoner
(in combination) restricted; confined: housebound; fogbound
(postpositive , foll by an infinitive) destined; sure; certain: it's bound to happen
(postpositive, often foll by by) compelled or obliged to act, behave, or think in a particular way, as by duty, circumstance, or convention
(of a book) secured within a cover or binding: to deliver bound books See also half-bound
(postpositive, foll by on) US resolved; determined: bound on winning
linguistics
denoting a morpheme, such as the prefix non-, that occurs only as part of another word and not as a separate word in itself: Compare free (def. 21)
(in systemic grammar) denoting a clause that has a nonfinite predicator or that is introduced by a binder, and that occurs only together with a freestanding clause: Compare freestanding
logic (of a variable) occurring within the scope of a quantifier that indicates the degree of generality of the open sentence in which the variable occurs: in (x) (Fx → bxy), x is bound and y is free: See free (def. 22)
bound up with closely or inextricably linked with: his irritability is bound up with his work
I'll be bound I am sure (something) is true
British Dictionary definitions for bound (2 of 4)
/ (baʊnd) /
to move forwards or make (one's way) by leaps or jumps
to bounce; spring away from an impact
a jump upwards or forwards
by leaps and bounds with unexpectedly rapid progess: her condition improved by leaps and bounds
a sudden pronounced sense of excitement: his heart gave a sudden bound when he saw her
a bounce, as of a ball
Origin of bound
2British Dictionary definitions for bound (3 of 4)
/ (baʊnd) /
(tr) to place restrictions on; limit
(when intr, foll by on) to form a boundary of (an area of land or sea, political or administrative region, etc)
maths
a number which is greater than all the members of a set of numbers (an upper bound), or less than all its members (a lower bound): See also bounded (def. 1)
more generally, an element of an ordered set that has the same ordering relation to all the members of a given subset
whence, an estimate of the extent of some set
See bounds
Origin of bound
3British Dictionary definitions for bound (4 of 4)
/ (baʊnd) /
(postpositive, often foll by for) going or intending to go towards; on the way to: a ship bound for Jamaica; homeward bound
(in combination): northbound traffic
Origin of bound
4Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with bound
In addition to the idioms beginning with bound
- bound and determined to
- bound for
- bound hand and foot
- bound to, be
- bound up in
also see:
- by leaps and bounds
- duty bound
- honor bound
- out of bounds
- within bounds
Also see underbind.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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