bond

noun

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\ ˈbänd

Definition of bond

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : something that binds or restrains : fetter prisoners freed from their bonds the bonds of oppression

2 : a binding agreement : covenant united in the bonds of holy matrimony My word is my bond.

3a : a band or cord used to tie something

b : a material (such as timber or brick) or device for binding

c chemistry : an attractive force that holds together the atoms, ions, or groups of atoms in a molecule or crystal chemical bonds

d : an adhesive, cementing material, or fusible ingredient that combines, unites, or strengthens

4 : a uniting or binding element or force : tie the bonds of friendship

5a : an obligation made binding by a forfeit of money also : the amount of the money guarantee I have sworn an oath, that I will have my bond — Shakespeare The accused was released on $40,000 bond.

b : one who provides bail or acts as surety (see surety sense 3)

c finance : an interest-bearing certificate of public or private indebtedness money that she had invested in stocks and bonds

d : an insurance agreement pledging that one will become legally liable for financial loss caused to another by the act or default of a third person or by some contingency over which the third person may have no control

6 masonry : the systematic lapping (see lap entry 2 sense 4a) of brick in a wall

7 : the state of goods made, stored, or transported under the care of an agency until the duties or taxes on them are paid you may leave … tobacco in bond with customs— Richard Joseph

8 alcohol : a 100-proof straight whiskey aged at least four years under government supervision before being bottled

— called also bonded whiskey

9 : bond paper

bond

verb

bonded; bonding; bonds

Definition of bond (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1 masonry : to lap (a building material, such as brick) for solidity of construction

2a : to secure payment of duties and taxes on (goods) by giving a bond (see bond entry 1 sense 5a) warehouses for bonding tobacco

b : to convert into a debt secured by bonds (see bond entry 1 sense 5a)

c insurance : to provide a bond (see bond entry 1 sense 5d) for or cause to provide such a bond bond an employee

3a : to cause to adhere firmly Heat is used to bond the plastic sheets together.

b : to embed in a matrix (see matrix sense 3b) abrasive material bonded in a resinous binder

c chemistry : to hold together in a molecule or crystal by chemical bonds (see bond entry 1 sense 3c)

intransitive verb

1 : to hold together or solidify by or as if by means of a bond (see bond entry 1) or binder (see binder sense 3) The glue didn't bond to the glass.

2 : to form a close relationship especially through frequent association the new mother bonded with her child The retreat was a great bonding experience for the team.

bond

adjective

Definition of bond (Entry 3 of 3)

archaic

: bound in slavery

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Examples of bond in a Sentence

Noun a daughter's bond with her mother Recent events have helped to strengthen the bonds between our two countries. My roommate and I share a common bond because we both grew up in the Midwest. She has invested most of her money in stocks and bonds. Verb Heat was used to bond the sheets of plastic together. The poster was bonded to the wall with glue.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun According to Cannon, she was granted a signature bond and later released from the jail last Thursday, where she was met by Sen. Raphael Warnock along with a crowd of supporters. — Kaelan Deese, Washington Examiner, "Georgia legislator who was arrested for interrupting voting bill signing called measure a 'more serious crime'," 1 Apr. 2021 Mandeville’s age, date of birth and bond status were not immediately available. — Michael Ruiz, Fox News, "Secret Service arrests Oregon man who accused of assaulting Swiss ambassador, breaking into residence," 31 Mar. 2021 Shooting in sequence also gave an organic reality to the underdog bond Nian develops with thoughtful gang kid Xiao Bei, played by Mandopop boy band star Jackson Yee. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, "China’s ‘Better Days’ puts destructiveness of school bullying at the forefront," 31 Mar. 2021 He was transported to the Hoover City Jail without incident and was released at 1:54 a.m. the next day after posting $1,000 bond. — Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, "Ex-police officer Jason McIntosh pleads guilty to Megan Montgomery’s Mountain Brook murder," 31 Mar. 2021 Experts also recommend laddering CDs and/or bond funds. — Robert Powell, USA TODAY, "Should you consider a short-term bond allocation? Here's how to invest in bonds when interest rates are rising," 31 Mar. 2021 The project was approved by voters under a 2017 bond referendum. — Teri Webster, Dallas News, "$5.3 million renovation project gets underway at Plano library," 31 Mar. 2021 Federal prosecutors argued against bond, claiming the drug ring is linked to a November 2019 shooting and its members were heard discussing kidnapping plots, according to court records. — Beth Warren, The Courier-Journal, "A deadly trick: Mexican cartels sneak meth into US in candles shaped like penises, pharaohs," 31 Mar. 2021 Katheryn Winnick, who stars on the series as Jenny Hoyt, Cody's estranged wife, also felt the flashbacks helped establish the bond between her and Cody's partner, Cassie Dewell (Kylie Bunbury) via their love for Cody. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, "Big Sky producers debated how soon to kill off Ryan Phillippe," 30 Mar. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb The plot, which revolves around two young women (Taylour Paige and Riley Keough) who bond over pole dancing and end up taking off on a cross-country road trip, couldn’t be more apropos. — Emma Specter, Vogue, "Zola Is Coming to Theaters, Meaning Hot Girl Summer Is Officially on Its Way," 31 Mar. 2021 In fact, this historic moment seems like something Nicky and Stanley could bond over. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, "This Is Us Recap: One Giant Leap," 23 Mar. 2021 With multiple studies, including recent research conducted by IBM, revealing that one out of every four employees plans to quit their current job in 2021, many employers seek ways to bond their employees to their companies. — Anchorage Daily News, "Combat employee isolation with remote team building. Here’s how.," 23 Mar. 2021 For two students, Gee and Noelle, the integration sets off a chain of events that will bond their families together in unexpected ways over the span of the next twenty years. — Perri Ormont Blumberg, Southern Living, "Jenna Bush Hager's Incredible March Book Club Pick Is Set in Piedmont, North Carolina," 2 Mar. 2021 For the same reasons, Edwards can't bond with teammates and coaches over team dinners and outings like in a normal season. — Mark Medina, USA TODAY, "Jaw-dropping dunk is latest highlight for 'happy, loud and energetic' rookie Anthony Edwards," 21 Feb. 2021 Perhaps law-abiding states should bond together and form a Union of states that will abide by the constitution. — Jay Nordlinger, National Review, "The Great American Divorce?," 21 Dec. 2020 That’s why people bond with each other over experiences rather than their possessions. — Popular Science, "How to spend your money for maximum happiness," 21 Dec. 2020 Yes, Ruben will bond with the other residents (played by people who are deaf in real life, some with addiction issues). — Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, "Riz Ahmed is terrific as a drummer losing his hearing in Amazon Prime's 'Sound of Metal'," 2 Dec. 2020

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

History and Etymology for bond

Noun and Verb

Middle English band, bond — more at band

Adjective

Middle English bonde, from bonde customary tenant, from Old English bōnda householder, from Old Norse bōndi

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Last Updated

5 Apr 2021

Cite this Entry

“Bond.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bond. Accessed 15 Apr. 2021.

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More Definitions for bond

bond

noun

English Language Learners Definition of bond

(Entry 1 of 2)

: something (such as an idea, interest, experience, or feeling) that is shared between people or groups and forms a connection between them

finance : an official document in which a government or company promises to pay back an amount of money that it has borrowed and to pay interest for the borrowed money

formal : a chain or rope that is used to prevent someone from moving or acting freely

bond

verb

English Language Learners Definition of bond (Entry 2 of 2)

: to join (things) together

: to join to something else

: to form a close relationship with someone

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

bond

noun

\ ˈbänd

Kids Definition of bond

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : something that binds

2 : the condition of being held together The glue forms a strong bond.

3 : a force or influence that brings or holds together a bond of friendship

4 : a chain or rope used to prevent someone from moving or acting freely

5 : a promise to do something My word is my bond.

6 : a legal agreement in which a person agrees to pay a sum of money if he or she fails to do a certain thing

7 : a government or business certificate promising to pay a certain sum by a certain day

bond

verb

bonded; bonding

Kids Definition of bond (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to stick or cause to stick together

2 : to form a close relationship The girls quickly bonded.

bond

noun

\ ˈbänd

Medical Definition of bond

: an attractive force that holds together atoms, ions, or groups of atoms in a molecule or crystal —usually represented in formulas by a line

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bond

noun

Legal Definition of bond

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a usually formal written agreement by which a person undertakes to perform a certain act (as appear in court or fulfill the obligations of a contract) or abstain from performing an act (as committing a crime) with the condition that failure to perform or abstain will obligate the person or often a surety to pay a sum of money or will result in the forfeiture of money put up by the person or surety also : the money put up

Note: The purpose of a bond is to provide an incentive for the fulfillment of an obligation. It also provides reassurance that the obligation will be fulfilled and that compensation is available if it is not fulfilled. In most cases a surety is involved, and the bond makes the surety responsible for the consequences of the obligated person's behavior. Some bonds, such as fidelity bonds, function as insurance agreements, in which the surety promises to pay for financial loss caused by the bad behavior of an obligated person or by some contingency over which the person may have no control.

— appeal bond

: a cost bond required by a rule of procedure to be given by an appellant in order to cover the costs of an appeal

— appearance bond

: an often unsecured bond given by a defendant in a criminal trial to guarantee the defendant's appearance in court as scheduled

— attachment bond

1 : a bond given by a plaintiff seeking to attach the defendant's property that ensures payment to the defendant of any damages suffered because of the attachment in the event the plaintiff loses the suit

2 : a bond given by a defendant in order to have an attachment released that ensures payment of a judgment awarded to the plaintiff

— bail bond

: a bond given by a criminal defendant or by his or her surety to ensure compliance with the terms of bail and especially with the requirement that the defendant appear in court as scheduled

— bid bond

: a surety bond often required of contractors bidding on construction work to ensure that the successful bidder will accept the job and will also provide a performance bond

— blanket bond

: a fidelity bond covering all persons or all of a category of persons employed (as by a bank) or holding office (as of a trustee in bankruptcy)

— completion bond

: performance bond in this entry

— contract bond

: a bond given to protect a person or business entity against loss caused by a breach of a contract (as for building, construction, or supply)

— cost bond

: a bond given by a plaintiff to ensure payment of court costs

— depository bond

: a bond given by a bank often for deposits from state or municipal governments that covers the amount of the deposit in the event of the bank's insolvency

— fidelity bond

: a bond or other form of contract to cover an employer or government entity against financial loss due to the dishonesty of an employee or other trusted person

— injunction bond

: a bond required to be given by the applicant for an injunction to cover costs and damages incurred by a party found to have been wrongfully enjoined

— judicial bond

: a bond (as an appeal bond or bail bond) required to be given in a court proceeding

— license bond

: a surety bond required by law or as a condition to the conduct of a specific business or profession

— called also permit bond

— payment bond

: a surety bond that covers payment to certain parties (as suppliers) in the event that a contractor breaches a construction contract

— peace bond

: a bond required to be given by a defendant to ensure good behavior and discourage breaches of the peace

— penal bond

: a bond that ensures payment of a stipulated sum in the event of a party's nonperformance and that is often required for government contracts

— performance bond

: a surety bond that ensures a property owner (as a developer or municipality) of the completion of a construction contract or payment of actual damages to the extent of the bond in the event that the contractor fails to complete it

— called also completion bond

— permit bond

: license bond in this entry

— personal bond

: a criminal defendant's unsecured promise to appear in court as scheduled after release from custody

— replevin bond

: a bond given by a plaintiff in a replevin action to cover losses to the defendant or court officer seizing the property in the defendant's possession and transferring it to the plaintiff in the event that the plaintiff loses the case

— supersedeas bond

: a bond given by an appellant in order to obtain a stay of the judgment awarded at trial and for the purpose of ensuring that if the appellant loses the appeal the appellee will be paid the judgment plus any damages incident to the delay caused by the appeal

— surety bond

: a bond in which a surety agrees to assume responsibility for the performance of an obligation of another in the event of a default

b : one who acts as a surety

2 : an interest-bearing document giving evidence of a debt issued by a government body or corporation that is sometimes secured by a lien on property and is often designed to take care of a particular financial need — see also collateralized mortgage obligation

— accrual bond

: a bond that is usually the last tranche of a collateralized mortgage obligation and from which no payments of principal or interest are made until the earlier tranches are paid in full

— called also Z-bond

— adjustment bond

: a bond that is issued in settlement of a prior obligation as part of a business reorganization and on which interest payments are usually contingent upon earnings

— baby bond

: a bond having a face value of usually $500 or less

— bearer bond

: a fully negotiable bond payable to its bearer — compare registered bond in this entry

— book-entry bond

: a bond whose ownership is recorded by computer but for which no certificate is issued

— convertible bond

: a bond that may be exchanged for another type of security (as common stock) at prearranged terms

— coupon bond

: a bearer bond that has coupons that must be cut off and presented for payment of interest

— debenture bond

: a bond backed by the general credit of the issuer rather than by a specific lien on particular assets : debenture

— discount bond

: a bond with a market value lower than its face value

— flower bond

: a Treasury bond that may be redeemed at face value before maturity if used in settling federal estate taxes

— guaranteed bond

: a bond on which payment of interest or principal or both is guaranteed by a corporation other than the issuer

— income bond

: a bond that pays interest at a rate based on the issuer's earnings

— junk bond

: a high-risk bond that offers a high yield and is often issued to finance the takeover of a company

— mortgage bond

: a bond secured by a mortgage on property — compare debenture

— municipal bond

: a bond issued by a municipality to fund the expenses of running the government or of specific programs or projects

— registered bond

: a bond registered in the name of the holder on the books of the company and issued with the name of the holder written on the bond certificate — compare bearer bond in this entry

— revenue bond

: a bond issued by a public agency authorized to build, acquire, or improve a revenue-producing property (as a toll road) and payable solely out of the revenue derived from such property

— savings bond

: a nontransferable registered bond issued by the U.S. government in denominations of $50 to $10,000

— serial bond

: one of a series of bonds maturing periodically rather than on a single maturity date

— Treasury bond

: a long-term government bond issued by or under the authority of the U.S. Treasury — compare Treasury bill at bill, Treasury note at note

— zero-coupon bond

: a bond that is sold at a price significantly below face value, pays no annual interest, and is redeemable at full value at maturity — compare strip

bond

transitive verb

Legal Definition of bond (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : to convert into a debt secured by bonds