Bound Meaning
/ˈbaʊ̯nd/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbsimple past and past participle of bind
adjObliged (to).
Sentence Examples
Your plan is bound to fail.
An ox is captured by the horns, a person is bound by his word.
There are bound to be changes when the new system is introduced.
CEFR Practice Quiz
After months of training, she felt ____ to win the upcoming marathon race.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The book was ____ in a beautiful and thick dark blue leather cover tonight.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English bound, bund (preterite) and bounden, bunden, ibunden, ȝebunden (past participle), from Old English bund- and bunden, ġebunden respectively. See bind.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The maidens have bound silver snoods about their hair, with gold spangles, and pendent flames (Flammen), that is, sparkling hair-drops : but of their mother's headgear who shall speak?"
— 1831, Thomas Carlyle, “Miscellaneous-Historical”, in Sartor Resartus: The Life and Opinions of Herr Teufelsdröckh. […], London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 32:
"“[…] Captain Markam had been found lying half-insensible, gagged and bound, on the floor of the sitting-room, his hands and feet tightly pinioned, and a woollen comforter wound closely round his mouth and neck ; whilst Mrs. Markham's jewel-case, containing valuable jewellery and the secret plans of Port Arthur, had disappeared.[…]”"
— 1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Fate of the Artemis”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:
"Well, it isn't for me to say. I'm an employee of the firm and bound to stand by it."
— 1927, Ernest Bramah, Max Carrados Mysteries:
"Then I had a good think on the subject of the hocussing of Cigarette, and I was reluctantly bound to admit that once again the man in the corner had found the only possible solution to the mystery."
— 1904–1905, Baroness Orczy [i.e., Emma Orczy], “The Hocussing of Cigarette”, in The Case of Miss Elliott, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, published 1905, →OCLC; republished as popular edition, London: Greening & Co., 1909, OCLC 11192831, quoted in The Case of Miss Elliott (ebook no. 2000141h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg of Australia, February 2020:
"This certain,—that a band of war / Has for two days been ready boune, / At prompt command to march from Doune […]."
— 1810, The Lady of the Lake, Walter Scott, 4.III:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
After months of training, she felt ____ to win the upcoming marathon race.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The book was ____ in a beautiful and thick dark blue leather cover tonight.