Bound Definition

bound
bounded, bounding, bounds
verb
bounded, bounding, bounds
To cause to bound or bounce.
Webster's New World
To move with a leap or series of leaps.
Webster's New World
To provide with bounds; limit; confine.
Webster's New World
To progress by forward leaps or springs.
American Heritage
Webster's New World
noun
bounds
A jump; leap.
Webster's New World
A springing back from a surface after striking it; bounce.
Webster's New World
A boundary; limit.
Webster's New World
An area near, alongside, or enclosed by a boundary.
Webster's New World

(often used in plural) A boundary, the border which one must cross in order to enter or leave a territory.

I reached the northern bound of my property, took a deep breath and walked on.
Somewhere within these bounds you may find a buried treasure.
Wiktionary
Synonyms:
adjective
Confined by or as by binding; tied.
Webster's New World
Being under legal or moral obligation.
Bound by my promise.
American Heritage
Closely connected or related.
Webster's New World
Certain; sure; destined.
Bound to lose.
Webster's New World
Under compulsion; obliged.
Legally bound to accept.
Webster's New World
affix
Going or headed toward.
Southbound, championship-bound.
Webster's New World
Confined by or to.
Snowbound, housebound.
Webster's New World
suffix
Moving or travelling towards.
Wiktionary
idiom
in
  • Within the boundary of a playing field or court and therefore in play or legal.
American Heritage
out of bounds
  • Outside the boundary of a playing field or court and therefore not in play or legal.
  • In such a way as to violate or exceed acceptable rules or standards, as of decency:

    felt the guest's behavior was out of bounds.

American Heritage
bound up in
  • deeply devoted to
  • implicated or involved in
Webster's New World
out of bounds
  • beyond the boundaries or limits, as of a playing field
  • not to be entered or used; forbidden
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Bound

Noun

Singular:
bound
Plural:
bounds

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Bound

Origin of Bound

  • From French bondir (“to leap, bound, originally make a loud resounding noise”); perhaps, from Late Latin bombitāre, present active infinitive of bombitō (“hum, buzz”), frequentive verb, from Latin bombus (“a humming or buzzing”).

    From Wiktionary

  • French bondir to bounce from Old French to resound perhaps from Vulgar Latin bombitīre from Latin bombitāre to hum from bombus a humming sound from Greek bombos

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Alteration of Middle English boun ready from Old Norse būinn past participle of būa to get ready bheuə- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English from Old French bodne, bonde Anglo-Norman bunde both from Medieval Latin bodina of Celtic origin

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From Middle English bounde, from Old French bunne, from Medieval Latin bodina, earlier butina (“a bound, limit”)

    From Wiktionary

  • Alteration of boun, with -d partly for euphonic effect and partly by association with Etymology 1, above.

    From Wiktionary

  • See bind

    From Wiktionary

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