be in a bind

To be in a particularly difficult or awkward situation, especially one that is not easy to resolve or escape. I'm going to be in quite a bind if this loan isn't approved. Sorry I'm late, Fred was in a bind and needed me to drive him home. I'm in a bind here—I need to be at a job interview in an hour, and my car won't start.

See also: bind

bind (one) hand and foot

1. Literally, to tie one's hands and feet together. In the movie, the villain bound all the security guards hand and foot so that they couldn't sound the alarm. Of course those pranksters bound their babysitter hand and foot so they could go to the mall with their friends. I know you're afraid of this guy, but it's not like he's going to bind you hand and foot and throw you on the railroad tracks. You'll be fine.

2. By extension, to cause one to feel trapped in a daunting situation. Yes, I have a degree now, but this institution has bound me hand and foot to debt that I won't be able to pay off for years. A: "You've never been married?" B: "Nope, I've never had any interest in something that is going to bind me hand and foot to another person." I feel like the CEO has bound me hand and foot to this project by personally putting me in charge of it.

bind (someone or something) together

To join or fasten together. I fell down because some pranksters bound my shoelaces together. The teacher bound us together for the three-legged race. When I broke my finger, there wasn't much the doctor could do besides immobilizing it by binding two of my fingers together.

bind (something or someone) down

To anchor or fasten something or someone in place. You need to bind down the shed in the back yard before the big storm. Can you please bind down the baby in her highchair? If you don't bind those suitcases down, you'll end up at the beach without them!

bind off

In knitting, to make an edge with a row of stitches. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bind" and "off." Your scarf looks great—you just need to bind off now. I'm fine with repeating the knit stitch over and over, but once it's time to bind off, I can never remember how to do that. Well, you're not quite done yet. Has anyone taught you how to bind off?

bind over

1. To present a criminal to a legal authority. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bind" and "over." A: "Who's being interrogated?" B: "Someone the guys on patrol bound over to our department last night." The criminal was supposed to be bound over to the police last night, but the transport vehicle has suspiciously gone missing. Morris, if you apprehend the suspect, you are to bind him over to the FBI at once.

2. To use a legal obligation to induce a particular action (such as appearing in court or avoiding trouble), as of a criminal. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bind" and "over." My lawyer believes that the judge will bind me over in exchange for my good behavior. Oh no, it seems the case will be bound over to a grand jury. I don't see how this guy won't be bound over for trial. There's just so much evidence against him!

See also: bind, over

bind up

To wrap something or someone in a material. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bind" and "up." I bound up my foot in a bandage to try to reduce the swelling. Bind yourself up in blankets if you're cold. We bound up the injured bird in a towel and then placed him in a box for transport to the local wildlife rescue.

bind up with (something)

1. To wrap someone or something in something. A noun or pronoun is used before or after "up." I need to bind up my foot with a bandage to try to reduce the swelling. The nurses applied cream to the burn victim's skin and bound him up with gauze. We bound up the injured bird with a towel and then placed him in a box for transport to the local wildlife rescue.

2. To join or fasten multiple people or things together with something. A noun or pronoun can be used between "bind" and "up." Bind the books up with this cord—it'll make them easier to carry. They bound the prisoners up with chains so that they couldn't escape. When I broke that finger, there wasn't much the doctor could do besides bind my fingers up with some medical tape.

bound hand and foot

1. Literally, having one's hands and feet tied together. In the movie, the security guards were all bound hand and foot so that they couldn't sound the alarm. The police found the victim bound hand and foot in her neighbor's basement. You're acting like you're going to be bound hand and foot and thrown on the railroad tracks. This is just a meeting—you'll be fine.

2. By extension, feeling trapped in a daunting situation. I graduated from college and found myself bound hand and foot to debt that I won't be able to pay off for years. A: "You've never been married?" B: "Nope, I've never had any interest in something being bound hand and foot to another person." Ugh, because the CEO personally put me in charge of this project, I feel like I'm bound hand and foot to it.

See also: and, bound, foot, hand

double bind

A no-win situation. When both of Sally's jobs scheduled her to work on the same day, she was put in a double bind. She needed both incomes and could not afford to lose either position. In this day and age, most political candidates find themselves in a double bind when it comes to pleasing all of their constituents. If I leave for work now, I'm going to be stuck sitting in traffic, and if I wait until the traffic clears, I'm going to be late. It's a double bind, all right.

See also: bind, double

find (oneself) in a bind

To end up in a challenging, problematic, or dangerous situation, especially unintentionally or unwittingly. It's always a good idea to carry a simple first aid kit when you're camping, just in case you find yourself in a bind out there in the wilderness. I always keep a few thousand dollars in a separate savings account to fall back on if we ever find ourselves in a bind financially. I found myself in a bind when my car wouldn't start the day of my big job interview.

get in(to) a bind

To enter into a challenging, problematic, or dangerous situation, especially unintentionally or unwittingly. It's always a good idea to carry a simple first aid kit when you're camping, just in case you get into a bind out there in the wilderness. I always keep a few thousand dollars in a separate savings account to fall back on if we ever get in a bind financially. If Luke's gotten in a bind, do not get involved. He needs to face the consequences of his own bad decisions.

in a bind

In a particularly difficult or awkward situation, especially one that is not easy to resolve or escape. I'm going to find ourselves in quite a bind if this loan isn't approved. Sorry I'm late, Fred was in a bind and needed me to drive him home. You need cupcakes for a bake sale tomorrow? Well, we're in a bind, now aren't we?

See also: bind

in a double bind

In a position in which either of two choices will result in negative consequences; in a no-win situation. When both of Sally's jobs scheduled her to work on the same day, she was put in a double bind. She needed both incomes and could not afford to lose either position. In this day and age, most political candidates find themselves in a double bind when it comes to pleasing all of their constituents. A: "If I leave for work now, I'm going to be stuck sitting in traffic, and if I wait until the traffic clears, I'm going to be late." B: "So you're in a double bind, huh?"

See also: bind, double

the tie that binds

The value, belief, characteristic, etc., that is shared between or among people and which results in a unique and unbreakable connection. Usually used plurally. In our community, the welfare of our children has always been the tie that binds our families together. This national holiday is a celebration of our culture, our national spirit, and all the ties that bind us as a people. I know, the ties that bind can make it hard to go against your family on an issue like this.

tie (one) hand and foot

1. Literally, to tie someone's hands and feet together. In the movie, the villain tied all the security guards hand and foot so that they couldn't sound the alarm.

2. By extension, to cause someone to feel trapped in a daunting situation. Yes, I have a degree now, but this institution has tied me hand and foot to debt that I won't be able to pay off for years.

bind someone or something down

to tie or secure someone or something to something. Bind the tarpaulin so it won't get away. We will bind down the patient tightly. They bound the hatch down so it could not be opened.

bind someone or something together

to tie the parts of something together; to tie a number of things or people together. Can you bind together all three parts? Bind these two bandits together and lead them to jail.

bind someone or something up (in something)

and bind someone or something up (with something)

to tie someone or something up in something. They bound the books up in leather straps. I will bind up the larger sticks in strong cord.

bind someone over (to someone or something)

to deliver someone to some legal authority; to deliver someone to some legal authority. (A legal usage.) They bound the suspect over to the sheriff. The sheriff will bind over the suspect to the county jail.

See also: bind, over

bound hand and foot

with hands and feet tied up. The robbers left us bound hand and foot. We remained bound hand and foot until the police found us and untied us.

See also: and, bound, foot, hand

*in a bind

and *in a jam

Fig. in a tight or difficult situation; stuck on a problem. (*Typically: be ~; get [into] ~; find oneself ~.) I'm in a bind. I owe a lot of money. Whenever I get into a jam, I ask my supervisor for help. When things get busy around here, we get in a bind. We could use another helper.

See also: bind

bind over

Oblige someone to do or not do something; hold on bail or keep under bond. For example, The sheriff will bind over the murder suspect to the homicide division. This phrase is nearly always used in a legal context. [Late 1500s]

See also: bind, over

bound hand and foot

Wholly obligated, unable to free oneself. For example, These rules have us bound hand and foot; we can't even discuss the matter. This term transfers the literal meaning, having one's hands and feet tied and therefore unable to move, to legal, moral, or social obligations. The expression dates from the 10th century a.d.

See also: and, bound, foot, hand

in a bind

Also, in a box or hole or jam or tight corner or tight spot . In a difficult, threatening, or embarrassing position; also, unable to solve a dilemma. For example, He's put us in a bind: we can't refuse, but at the same time we can't fill the order, or Jim's in a box; he can't afford to pay what he owes us, or He quit without giving notice and now we're really in a hole, or We always end up in a jam during the holiday season, or He's in a tight corner with those new customers, or We'll be in a tight spot unless we can find another thousand dollars. All these colloquial terms allude to places from which one can't easily extricate oneself. The phrase using bind was first recorded in 1851; box, 1865; jam, 1914; tight spot, 1852. Also see in a fix.

See also: bind

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

a double bind

If you describe a situation as a double bind, you mean that the situation is impossible, because you have a problem that you cannot solve without causing another problem. It is the absent dad's double bind: abandon your children and you are attacked as irresponsible; fight to keep contact with them and you are accused of disrupting the child's new family life. Note: You can also say that you are in a double bind or are caught in a double bind. Women are in a double bind: they are expected to act like men, but are criticized when they do.

See also: bind, double

bound hand and foot

If someone or something is bound hand and foot by something, that thing prevents them from acting freely or doing what they want. These people are bound hand and foot by tradition. In a land bound hand and foot by petty regulations and bureaucracy, he saw that there were thousands of deals just waiting to be done.

See also: and, bound, foot, hand

bind (or tie) someone hand and foot

severely restrict someone's freedom to act or make decisions.

See also: and, bind, foot, hand, someone

in a ˈbind

(American English) in a difficult situation that you do not know how to get out of: I’d be in a bind without a car. I drive everywhere these days.

See also: bind

in a ˌdouble ˈbind

in a situation in which it is difficult to choose what to do because whatever you choose will have negative results: Students are caught in a double bind between a lack of jobs if they leave school and a huge bill for higher education if they stay.

See also: bind, double

bind/tie somebody hand and ˈfoot

remove or restrict somebody’s freedom of action or movement: Staying at home to look after a sick parent often means that a person is tied hand and foot. ♢ I can do nothing to help you because I’m bound hand and foot by my present contract.

See also: and, bind, foot, hand, somebody, tie

bind off

To secure some number of stitches in knitting and form an edge by lifting one stitch over the next: Bind off 12 stitches on the next row to make the neck edge. Make 5 stitches on the next row and bind them off. The scarf is long enough, so you can bind off.

bind over

To put someone under a financial obligation as a guarantee of that person's appearance at trial or of his or her good behavior for a period of time: I was arrested for littering, and the court bound me over to keep the peace for six months. After a brief hearing, the judge bound over the accused murderer for trial and set the bail at one million dollars.

See also: bind, over

bind

n. a problem; a wrinkle. Unfortunately, a new bind has slowed down the project.

in a bind

In a difficult or embarrassing position; also, unable to solve a problem. First recorded in 1851, the term alludes to being bound up and hence unable to function. For example, “With donations failing to come in, the opera company found itself in a bind.” There are numerous synonyms for the expression, the most common of which today are in a hole, in a jam, in a tight corner, in a tight spot, in a fix. See also in a pickle; in a pinch.

See also: bind

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