1. The protective covering on the front, back, and spine of a book
   "the book had a leather binding"; "The rare book's original leather book binding was in excellent condition";
   - book binding, cover
    
2. Strip sewn over or along an edge for reinforcement or decoration
   "The colourful binding on the quilt added a decorative touch"
    
3. One of a pair of mechanical devices that are attached to a ski and that will grip a ski boot; the bindings should release in case of a fall
   "He adjusted his ski bindings to ensure they would release properly in case of a crash";
   - ski binding
    
4. The act of applying a bandage
   "The nurse's binding of the wound was quick and efficient";
   - dressing, bandaging
    
5. The capacity to attract and hold something
   "The binding power of the adhesive kept the pieces firmly together"
    
6. The process of attaching pages together to form a book
   "The binding of the manuscript took several days"

1. Executed with proper legal authority, making a contractual obligation
   "a binding contract"

1. Remain stuck to; keep in place
   "Will this wallpaper bind to the wall?";
   - adhere, hold fast, bond, stick, stick to
    
2. Make fast; tie or secure, with or as if with a rope
   "The Chinese would bind the feet of their women"
    
3. Fasten or secure with a rope, string, or cord
   "They bound their victim to the chair";
   - tie
    
4. Wrap around with something so as to cover or enclose
   "The nurse bound the patient's wound";
   - bandage
    
5. Secure with (or as if with) ropes in order to prevent movement or escape
   "bind the prisoners";
   - tie down, tie up, truss
    
6. Create social or emotional ties
   "The shared experience bound the survivors together";
   - tie, attach, bond
    
7. Bind by an obligation; cause to be indebted
   "He's bound by a contract";
   - oblige, hold, obligate
    
8. Provide with a binding
   "bind the books in leather"
    
9. (chemistry) form a chemical bond with
   "The hydrogen binds the oxygen"
    
10. Cause to be constipated
    "These foods tend to bind you";
    - constipate
     
11. (computing) associate an identifier with a value or object
    "The programmer bound the variable to a specific memory address"

Derived forms: bindings

See also: valid

Type of: attach, attraction, attractiveness, confine, constrain, cover, fasten, fix, hold, indispose, mechanical device, medical aid, medical care, protection, protective cover, protective covering, relate, restrain, secure, sewing, stitchery

Antonym: unbind, unlace

Part of: book, volume

Encyclopedia: Binding