attach

verb

at·tach | \ ə-ˈtach

attached; attaching; attaches

Definition of attach

transitive verb

1 : to take by legal authority especially under a writ attached the property

2a : to bring (oneself) into an association attached herself to their cause

b : to assign (an individual or unit in the military) temporarily

3 : to bind by personal ties (as of affection or sympathy) was strongly attached to his family

4 : to make fast (as by tying or gluing) attach a label to a package

5 : to associate especially as a property or an attribute : ascribe attached great importance to public opinion polls

6 : to include and send (a separate document or file) with an electronic message (such as an e-mail or text message) Unlike … some other social networking hubs, Beejive allows you to attach photos or videos to a message, or download files from messages, just as you would via e-mail.— Bob Tedeschi

intransitive verb

: to become attached : adhere

Other Words from attach Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about attach

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Synonyms & Antonyms for attach

Synonyms

affix, bend, fasten, fix

Antonyms

detach, undo, unfasten, unhook

Choose the Right Synonym for attach

fasten, fix, attach, affix mean to make something stay firmly in place. fasten implies an action such as tying, buttoning, nailing, locking, or otherwise securing. fasten the reins to a post fix usually implies a driving in, implanting, or embedding. fixed the stake in the ground attach suggests a connecting or uniting by a bond, link, or tie in order to keep things together. attach the W-2 form here affix implies an imposing of one thing on another by gluing, impressing, or nailing. affix your address label here

Examples of attach in a Sentence

I've attached an application to the brochure for you. She attached a note to the package. I attached the file to the e-mail. The handle attaches here on the top.

Recent Examples on the Web

Advertising Besides attaching three fresh batteries, Koch and Hague disconnected one of the three installed last week because of higher voltage than expected. — Marcia Dunn, The Seattle Times, "Spacewalking astronauts install better station batteries," 3 Apr. 2019 In attaching value to doing good, the BITE team hasn’t forgotten the sensual delight of fashion. — Laird Borrelli-persson, Vogue, "A First Look at Sustainable Brand BITE’s Fall 2019 Collection," 27 Feb. 2019 Carve out mouth and eyes, then attach parsnip nose with toothpicks. — Woman's Day Staff, Woman's Day, "50+ Creative Pumpkin Carving Ideas for Halloween," 25 July 2018 The company backed off after weighing the cost and difficulty of attaching new materials. — Sven Berg, idahostatesman, "Why are Downtown Boise buildings so boring?," 20 June 2018 And there was even talk, at one point, of attaching postage stamps to e-mail. — David Scharfenberg, BostonGlobe.com, "Why Facebook and Google should pay you for your data," 14 June 2018 The three main factors of construction are: Density: As the name suggests, density refers to how many fibers are in a pile (the actual carpet, which is attached to a backing) and how tightly packed the fibers are. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "The Best Carpet Types for a Perfectly Grounded Space," 13 Feb. 2019 After that, the trainee lies down and an electrode is attached to his forehead and finger for an omega brain-wave reading. — Joe Pappalardo, Popular Mechanics, "The Air Force Is Changing How Special Ops Fighters Are Trained," 12 Feb. 2019 Because the new x360 is USB-C powered, that means that the power cord can be attached at a convenient angle, or connected via the side of the Spectre, using the other port. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "HP Spectre x360 13 (2018) hands on: 'Whiskey Lake' power sits alongside 22 hours of battery life," 23 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'attach.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near attach

Statistics for attach

Last Updated

14 Apr 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for attach

The first known use of attach was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for attach

attach

verb

English Language Learners Definition of attach

: to fasten or join one thing to another

: to be or become joined or connected

: to associate or connect one thing with another

See the full definition for attach in the English Language Learners Dictionary

attach

verb

at·tach | \ ə-ˈtach

attached; attaching

Kids Definition of attach

1 : to fasten or join one thing to another The boy attached a bell to his bicycle.

2 : to bind by feelings of affection … Marty's got awful attached to that dog …— Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Shiloh

3 : to think of as belonging to something Attach no importance to his remark.

attach

verb

at·tach

Legal Definition of attach

transitive verb

1 : to obtain a court order against (property of another person) that directs an officer of the court (as a sheriff) to seize or take control of the property — compare garnish, levy

Note: A plaintiff may attach a defendant's property as a way of obtaining jurisdiction for the purpose of bringing a lawsuit or to prevent the defendant from getting rid of property that may be needed to pay a judgment to the plaintiff.

2 : to join or make a part of affidavits attached to the suit— Rosalind Resnick

3 : to create a security interest in (property) and so acquire the right to foreclose on or otherwise deal with property for payment of a debt and to exercise one's rights in the property against third parties — see also security interest at interest sense 1 — compare perfect

intransitive verb

: to become effective: as

a : to come into existence as a security interest from the date the interest attaches

b : to become operative especially as a right the right to counsel attaches only at or after the initiation of adversary judicial proceedings — United States v. Gouveia, 467 U.S. 180 (1984) — see also jeopardy