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bound1 definition

bound (bo̵und)

intransitive verb

  1. to move with a leap or series of leaps
  2. to spring back from a surface after striking it, as a ball; bounce; rebound

Etymology: MFr bondir < OFr, to leap, make a noise, orig., to echo back < LL bombitare, to buzz, hum < L bombus, a humming: see bomb

transitive verb

to cause to bound or bounce

noun

  1. a jump; leap
  2. a springing back from a surface after striking it; bounce
bound2 definition

bound (bo̵und)

transitive verb, intransitive verb

bind

adjective

  1. confined by or as by binding; tied
  2. closely connected or related
  3. certain; sure; destined bound to lose
  4. under compulsion; obliged legally bound to accept
  5. constipated
  6. provided with a binding or attached cover, as a book
  7. Informal having one's mind made up; resolved a team bound on winning
  8. Linguis. designating a form, or morpheme, that never occurs alone as an independent word in “singing,” -ing is a bound form, but sing is not
bound Idioms

bound up in

or bound up with
  1. deeply devoted to
  2. implicated or involved in
bound3 definition

bound (bo̵und)

adjective

  1. ready to go or going; headed: often with for bound for home
  2. Archaic ready; prepared

Etymology: ME boun, ready (+ -d, prob. by assoc. with bound) < ON buinn, pp. of bua, to prepare: see bondage

bound4 definition

bound (bo̵und)

noun

  1. a boundary; limit
  2. an area near, alongside, or enclosed by a boundary

Etymology: ME bounde < OFr bunne, bodne < ML bodina, butina, boundary, boundary marker

transitive verb

  1. to provide with bounds; limit; confine
  2. to be a limit or boundary to
  3. ☆ to name the boundaries of (a state, etc.)

intransitive verb

to have a boundary (on another country, etc.)
bound Idioms

out of bounds

  1. beyond the boundaries or limits, as of a playing field
  2. not to be entered or used; forbidden

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms bound idiom

bound Synonyms

bound

modif.

  1. Literally confined in bonds

    fettered, shackled, trussed up, manacled, chained, enchained, handcuffed, hobbled, captive, confined, restrained, trammeled, pinioned, pilloried, muzzled, in leash, tied up, harnessed, bound hand and foot, lashed fast, swathed, pinned down, pegged down, tethered, picketed, secured, roped, gagged, hogtied, loaded with irons*.

    Antonyms free*, unrestrained*, loose. *

  2. Figuratively constrained

    impelled, compelled, obliged, obligated, under compulsion, constrained, duty-bound, committed, sworn, pledged, forced, coerced, driven, necessitated, under necessity, made, having no alternative, required, bounden.

    Antonyms unconstrained, free*, independent.


bound

v.

  1. To move in leaps

    jump, spring, vault, skip; see jump 1, skip.

  2. To rebound

    bounce, ricochet, recoil; see bounce 1, jump 4.

  3. To set limits

    restrict, confine, circumscribe, border; see define 1, limit, surround 1. See syn. study at limit, skip.

out of bounds

off limits, not permitted, restricted, forbidden; see illegal.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

bound Usage Examples

Object

  • rationality: Instead, the agents possess a form of bounded rationality.

Converse of object

  • overstep: How can phones be made open except for certain parties who overstep bounds?

Subject

  • hedging: There is a lawned area to the front bounded by hedging and a balcony to the front enabling views over the fields beyond.

Adjective modifier

  • upper: First, many engineering systems have performance requirements naturally stated in terms of the upper bounds on the steady-state variance values.

Modifies a noun

  • checking: The member function bcref does the same thing with guaranteed bounds checking.

Preposition: on

  • northeast: It is bounded on northeast and east by England, and on the other sides by the parishes of Morebattle and Linton.

Preposition: of

  • NDF: LBOUND( 2 ) = _INTEGER ( Read ) Lower bounds of new NDF ( if LIKE= !

Preposition: by

  • hedging: There is a lawned area to the front bounded by hedging and a balcony to the front enabling views over the fields beyond.
bound usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

bound quotes

   He nursed the feelings these dull scenes produce, And loved to stop beside the opening sluice; Where the small stream, confined in narrow bound, Ran with a dull, unvaried, sad'ning sound; Where all presented to the eye or ear, Oppressed the soul! with misery, grief, and fear.

-Crabbe, George

In that sharp light the fields did lie Naked and stone-like; each tree stood Like a tranced woman, bound and stark, Far off the wood With darkness ridged the riven dark. 336

-Freeman,John

And bound for the same bourn as I, On every road I wandered by, Trod beside me, close and dear, The beautiful and death-struck year.

-Housman, A(lfred) E(dward)

bound quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"bound." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/bound>

APA Style

bound. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/bound

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