tie

TY/taɪ/

Verbties, tying, tied

Noun pluralties

23 meanings of tie

Practice

1
fastenverbtransitive
To join one thing to another using string, rope, or cord.
Please tie the boat to the dock before the tide turns.
She tied her dog to the post outside the shop.
UsageOften tie something to something.
Similarfasten, attach, secure, lash, bind
Oppositeuntie, detach, unfasten, release
2
connectionnouncountable
A close link between people or groups, often built on family, friendship, or shared interests.
Like an invisible thread that keeps two people close.
She kept a strong tie with her old school friends.
Family ties matter a great deal to him.
UsageOften close ties with someone.
Similarbond
Note
3
neck clothingnouncountable
A strip of cloth that a person wears knotted around the neck, usually with a shirt.
Like a thin scarf worn for a smart, dressed-up look.
He wore a blue tie to the job interview.
She straightened her tie before stepping on stage.
UsageOften wear a tie.
Similarnecktie
4
bind (duty)verbfigurativelytransitive
To keep someone or something fixed to a place, job, or person, as if with rope.
Like a rope that keeps a boat from drifting away.
His new job tied him to the city for years.
Don't let old fears tie you to the past.
UsageOften be tied to something.
Similarbind, chain, tether, commit, shackle
Oppositefree, release, liberate
Note
5
drawnouncountable
A result where two or more players, teams, or sides end with the same score.
Like a race where two runners cross the line at exactly the same moment.
The match ended in a tie after both sides scored twice.
Their chess game finished in a tie.
UsageOften end in a tie.
Similardraw
Note
6
make a knotverbtransitive
To make a knot or bow in string, rope, or laces.
Can you tie a knot in this thread for me?
He tied a bow on top of the gift box.
UsageOften tie your shoelaces.
Oppositeuntie, undo
7
cup matchnounBritishcountable
A game or match between two players or teams in a competition.
The cup tie drew a huge crowd to the stadium.
Both teams trained hard before the tie.
UsageHere a tie is a match, not a draw.
Similarmatch, fixture, game
Note
8
cordnouncountable
A knot, string, wire, or plastic strip used to hold things together or keep something closed.
Like the knot you make so your shoelaces don't come undone.
She made a neat tie at the end of the ribbon.
The bundle was held shut with a simple tie.
UsageOften zip tie or twist tie.
Similarfastener, fastening
9
pull evenverbtransitive
To have the same score or place as someone else in a game or competition.
The Yankees tied the Red Sox for first place.
If we win tonight, we tie them in the standings.
UsageSay tie with a team, or tie a team.
Similarequal, match

Less common meanings

10
score to levelnounUScountable
A score that brings two teams or players level again.
Our catcher scored the tie in the eighth inning, and the crowd roared.
A free throw gave the visitors the tie with seconds left.
Similarequalizer
Note
11
rail sleepernounUScountable
A heavy wooden or concrete beam that holds railroad rails in place.
Like the rungs of a ladder, but laid flat to hold two rails steady.
Workers replaced a cracked tie along the track.
Each tie keeps the two rails the right distance apart.
UsageIn Britain this is a sleeper.
Similarsleeper
Note
12
statisticsnouncountable
When two or more values in a set of data are exactly equal.
Like two students getting exactly the same score on a test.
This set of numbers has one tie, because 12 appears twice.
When you find a tie in the data, both numbers get the same rank.
Note
13
bracenouncountable
A bar, beam, or rod that holds two parts firmly together.
Like a belt that stops two things from drifting apart.
A metal tie keeps the two roof beams from pulling apart.
The builder added a wooden tie between the two walls.
Oppositestrut
Note
14
music curvenouncountable
A curved line that joins two notes of the same pitch so they sound as one longer note.
Like joining two same-length blocks to make one longer block.
The composer added a tie so the note would ring across the bar line.
She held the chord through the tie until the next measure.
Note
15
join notesverbtransitive
To join two notes of the same pitch with a curved line so they are played as one long note.
Like drawing a line to join two notes into one.
You can tie the two notes to make them sound longer.
Tie those notes together so the singer holds them.
Similarjoin, connect, link
16
verbdatedUStransitive
To believe something, or to trust that it is true.
As the door slammed Pete turned to Hally, fuming. "Can you tie that? A little twopenny cold frightening him off."
1940, Woman's Home Companion, numbers 1-4Here, tie means believe, so can you believe that?
Similarbelieve, credit, accept, buy, trust
Oppositedoubt, disbelieve
Note
17
noundated
A low shoe that you fasten with laces.
18
noun
A link that joins two points in a network or graph.
19
noun
A curved line that joins two letters to show they are said as one sound.
20
noun
A measured direction and distance from a property corner to a fixed marker nearby.
21
noun
A knot of hair tied at the back, like on an old-style wig.
22
noun
A wig that has its hair tied in a knot at the back.
23
verb
In some computer programming, to link a variable to custom code so normal actions on it behave differently.

Practice

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

Origins

Meanings 2–3, 5, 7–8, 10–14

From an old English word meaning cord or chain.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

Tie derives from an earlier English word meaning cord or chain. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 1, 4, 6, 9, 15–16

From an old English verb, linked to a root meaning to tug or draw.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

The verb comes from an earlier English verb. en.wiktionary.org
It is linked to a root meaning to tug or draw. en.wiktionary.org