1 B2 neutral
To wrap a wound or injured area tightly with a bandage or cloth.
"The nurse bound up his injured knee before helping him to hobble to the first-aid room."
separable
bind up
B2 neutral separable transitive
To wrap and secure something tightly, especially a wound, or to be deeply involved or connected with something.
In plain English
To wrap something up tight to hold it together or protect it, or to be closely connected to something.
What does "bind up" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
To tie or secure a bundle of things tightly together.
"She bound up the old letters with a piece of ribbon and put them back in the drawer."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
(Often passive: 'bound up in/with') To be deeply connected to or emotionally involved in something.
"Her whole sense of self was bound up in her career as a surgeon."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To bind (tie/wrap) in an upward or tight direction.
Actually means
To wrap something up tight to hold it together or protect it, or to be closely connected to something.
Usage tip
The 'wound' sense is slightly old-fashioned; modern speakers might say 'bandage up'. The figurative sense ('bound up in/with') is common and describes deep emotional or logical connection: 'his identity is bound up with his work'.
Words that pair with "bind up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
wound injury hair identity fate feelings
How to conjugate "bind up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
bind up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
binds up
he/she/it
Past simple
binded up
yesterday
Past participle
binded up
have + pp
-ing form
binding up
continuous
Hear "bind up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "bind up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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