bond

SayBOND/bɑnd/UK/bɒnd/

Pluralbonds

Verbbonds, bonding, bonded

28 meanings of bond

Practice

1
investmentnouncountable
A paper showing you lent money to a company or government, which they must pay back later with interest.
Like lending money to a friend who promises to pay you back, plus a little extra.
She bought a government bond that pays interest every year.
The company sold bonds to raise money for a new factory.
UsagePeople say government bonds or corporate bonds. Governments and companies issue them and people buy them.
Note
2
emotional tienouncountable
A close feeling that holds two or more people together, like friendship or love.
Like an invisible string that keeps two people close, no matter how far apart they are.
The two brothers share a bond that nothing can break.
A special bond grew between the girl and her old dog.
UsageSay a bond between two people, or a bond of friendship.
Similarconnection, tie, link, attachment
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3
become closeverbintransitive
To build a close, friendly feeling with someone.
Like two strangers who slowly become as close as family.
The new students quickly bonded over their love of music.
Parents and babies bond through cuddling and play.
UsageSay bond with someone, or bond over something you both like.
Similarconnect, click
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4
link between atomsnouncountable
A force that holds atoms together, for example in a molecule or a crystal.
Heat can break the bond between two atoms.
In a water molecule, two bonds join the oxygen atom to the hydrogen atoms.
Note
5
glue togetherverbtransitive
To make two things stick or hold together firmly.
Like using glue to stick two sheets of paper together.
The glue will bond the two pieces of wood.
Workers bonded the tiles to the floor with cement.
UsageSay bond one thing to another.
6
bail moneynouncountable or uncountable
Money paid or promised to a court so an arrested person can stay free until trial.
Like leaving a deposit so you can go home and promise to come back.
Her family posted a bond to get her out of jail.
The judge set the bond at five thousand dollars.
UsageFamilies post bond to get someone out of jail. The person is then out on bond.
Similarbail
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7
contract guaranteenouncountable
A written promise to pay money or to carry out a contract.
Like a written promise that someone will do exactly what they agreed.
The contractor provided a bond guaranteeing the work would be finished.
A performance bond protected the client if the builder failed.
Note
8
nouncountableplural
Something physical that ties or holds things in place, like a band or strap.
Like a rope tying a bundle of sticks together.
The prisoner struggled against the bonds around his wrists.
The prisoner pulled hard, but the bond on his wrists would not break.
Similartie, chain, shackle
9
nouncountable or uncountable
Anything that holds or sticks things together, like cement or a strong force.
Mortar acts as the bond between the bricks.
Resin provides the bond that keeps the layers in place.
Similarbinder, glue, adhesive
10
guarantee against lossverbtransitive
To promise to cover a money loss if something goes wrong.
Like a friend promising to pay back the money for you if you cannot.
Before the job starts, an insurance company must bond the builder.
A surety firm bonded the builder before work began.
UsageUsually said as be bonded: the cleaners are bonded.
Similarinsure, guarantee, underwrite
Note
11
verbintransitive
To join with other atoms to make a molecule or other substance.
Like tiny building blocks clicking together to make something new.
Carbon atoms can bond with many other atoms to build large molecules.
Oxygen bonds with hydrogen to form water.
UsageSay an atom bonds with or to another atom.
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12
solemn agreementnouncountable
A firm promise or agreement that people must keep.
You can trust her to pay you back. Her word is her bond.
The peace treaty was a bond that neither king dared to break.
UsageOften in my word is my bond: you can trust my promise.
Similaragreement, pact, covenant, pledge

Less common meanings

13
bail outverbtransitive or intransitive
To get someone out of jail by paying a bail bond.
Like paying a fee so someone can leave jail and come back later for court.
His sister bonded him out the same night he was arrested.
They had to bond their cousin out before the weekend.
UsageUsually with out: bond someone out of jail.
Similarbail
Note
14
brick patternnouncountable or uncountable
A way of arranging bricks, usually so they overlap to strengthen a wall.
Like staggering rows of blocks so the gaps never line up in a straight crack.
The wall was built in a strong bond that locked the bricks together.
Bricklayers choose a bond that makes the wall sturdy.
Note
15
sense of dutynouncountable
A moral or political duty that you feel you must follow.
Like a duty that keeps you doing the right thing even when it is hard.
He felt a bond of loyalty to his country.
Loyalty to her country was a bond she could not ignore.
Similarobligation, duty
Note
16
enslavedadjectivearchaic
Held as a slave or servant and so not free.
Similarunfree, captive
Oppositefree
17
depositnouncountable
Money you pay up front to show you really mean to buy something, which you lose if you back out.
At the auction, the winning bidder has to pay a cash bond right away.
When he backed out of buying the farm, he lost his bond.
Similardeposit
18
writing papernouncountable or uncountable
A strong, good-quality writing paper, often used for letters and important documents.
Like the thick, smooth paper saved for important letters.
She printed her résumé on heavy bond.
The office ordered a ream of bond for official letters.
UsageUsually no a: printed on heavy bond.
Note
19
awaiting customsnoununcountable
The keeping of goods in a special store while the taxes on them are still unpaid.
The whiskey stayed in bond until the importer paid the duty.
Goods held in bond are not taxed until they leave the warehouse.
UsageUsually in the phrase in bond: goods kept in bond.
20
verbtransitive
To put goods in a special store until the taxes on them are paid.
Customs officers bonded the imported wine at the port.
The firm will bond the cargo until the duty is settled.
21
lay bricksverbtransitive
To lay bricks so they overlap in a set pattern.
Like stacking blocks so each row sits over the gaps in the row below.
The builder bonded the bricks in neat overlapping rows.
The builder showed us how to bond the bricks so each one sits across two below it.
22
verbtransitive
To join two pieces of metal so electricity can flow safely between them.
Like joining two metal parts with a wire so they share the same charge.
Electricians bonded the pipes to stop electric shocks.
You must bond the metal box to the ground wire.
UsageSay bond one metal part to another.
Note
23
mortgagenounSouth AfricaScotlandcountable
A loan used to buy a house or land, paid back over many years.
Like borrowing money from a bank to buy a house, then paying it back bit by bit.
They took out a bond to buy their first home.
She paid off her bond after twenty years.
Similarmortgage, loan
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24
adjectivearchaic
Acting like a slave, or fit for a slave. Too eager to obey.
Similarservile, slavish, subservient, submissive
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25
noun
A thick copper wire that joins railway rails so electricity can pass along the track.
26
nounobsolete
A person held as a servant or slave under a master.
27
adjective
Subject to an old system of holding land that bound the holder to serve a lord.
28
nounobsolete
A low-ranking country worker or common farmer in old times.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of bond apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–2, 4, 6–9, 12, 14–15, 17–19, 23

From an old English word meaning a band, chain, or tie. It is related to 'bind'.

Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Bond derives from an Old English word meaning a band, chain, or tie. en.wiktionary.org
Bond is related to bind. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 16, 24

From an old English word meaning a householder or freeman, perhaps from an Old Norse word meaning 'dweller'.

Checked 6 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Bond derives from an Old English word meaning a householder or freeman. en.wiktionary.org
The Old English word perhaps derives from an Old Norse word literally meaning 'dweller'. en.wiktionary.org