bound

\ ˈbau̇nd

How to pronounce bound (audio)

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Definition of bound

(Entry 1 of 7)

1a : fastened by or as if by a band : confined desk-bound

b : very likely : sure bound to rain soon

2 : placed under legal or moral restraint or obligation : obliged duty-bound

3 of a book : secured to the covers by cords, tapes, or glue leather-bound

4 : determined, resolved was bound and determined to have his way

5 : held in chemical or physical combination

6 : made costive (see costive sense 1a) : constipated

7 : always occurring in combination with another linguistic form un- in unknown and -er in speaker are bound forms — compare free entry 1 sense 11d

bound

Definition of bound (Entry 2 of 7)

past tense and past participle of bind

bound

Definition of bound (Entry 3 of 7)

1 : intending to go : going bound for home college-bound

2 archaic : ready

bound

plural bounds

Definition of bound (Entry 4 of 7)

1 : leap, jump cleared the hedge at a bound

2 : the action of rebounding : bounce

bound

bounded; bounding; bounds

Definition of bound (Entry 5 of 7)

intransitive verb

1 : to move by leaping deer bounding across a field She bounded down the stairs.

2 : rebound, bounce a bounding rubber ball

bound

plural bounds

Definition of bound (Entry 6 of 7)

1a : a limiting line : boundary —usually used in pluralThe ball landed out of bounds.

b : something that limits or restrains beyond the bounds of decency police officers overstepping their bound

2 usually bounds

b : the land within certain bounds woodland bounds

3 mathematics : a number greater than or equal to every number in a set (such as the range of a function) also : a number less than or equal to every number in a set

bound

bounded; bounding; bounds

Definition of bound (Entry 7 of 7)

transitive verb

1 : to form a separating line or the boundary of : enclose A chain-link fence bounds the yard. The state is bounded on its east by the Connecticut River.

2 : to set limits to : confine art … is always greater than the rules with which we may attempt to bound it— C. S. Kilby

3 : to name the boundaries of Students were asked to bound their state.

History and Etymology for bound

Adjective (1)

Middle English bounden, from past participle of binden to bind

Adjective (2)

Middle English boun, from Old Norse būinn, past participle of būa to dwell, prepare; akin to Old High German būan to dwell — more at bower

Noun (1) and Verb (1)

Middle French bond, from bondir to leap, from Vulgar Latin *bombitire to hum, from Latin bombus deep hollow sound — more at bomb entry 1

Noun (2) and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French bounde, bodne, from Medieval Latin bodina

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Dictionary Entries near bound

bouncing-pin indicator

bound and determined

bound and gagged

Statistics for bound

Cite this Entry

“Bound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bound. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for bound

bound

\ ˈbau̇nd

\

Kids Definition of bound

(Entry 1 of 7)

: going or intending to go homeward bound

bound

Kids Definition of bound (Entry 2 of 7)

1 : a boundary line

2 : a point or line beyond which a person or thing cannot go The ball has to stay within these bounds.

bound

Kids Definition of bound (Entry 3 of 7)

past tense and past participle of bind

bound

bounded; bounding

Kids Definition of bound (Entry 4 of 7)

: to form the boundary of The farm is bounded by a river on one side.

bound

Kids Definition of bound (Entry 5 of 7)

1 : tied or fastened with or as if with bands

2 : required by law or duty bound by honor

3 : under the control of something bound by the spell

4 : covered with binding a bound book

5 : firmly determined

6 : very likely : certain It is bound to rain.

bound

Kids Definition of bound (Entry 6 of 7)

: a leap or long jump

bound

bounded; bounding

Kids Definition of bound (Entry 7 of 7)

: to make a long leap or move in leaps

bound

\ ˈbau̇nd

\

Medical Definition of bound

1 : made costive : constipated

2 : held in chemical or physical combination bound water in a molecule

bound

Legal Definition of bound

(Entry 1 of 4)

1 : boundary —usually used in pl. metes and bounds

2 : something that limits or restrains within the bounds of the law

bound

Legal Definition of bound (Entry 2 of 4)

past and past participle of bind

bound

transitive verb

Legal Definition of bound (Entry 3 of 4)

: to form the boundary of or enclose property bounded on the north by a stone wall

bound

Legal Definition of bound (Entry 4 of 4)

: placed under a legal or moral restraint or obligation

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