All 12 Uses of
bound
in
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- I clipped along, and all of a sudden I bounded right on to the ashes of a camp fire that was still smoking.
Chpt 8 (definition 1) *bounded = jumped or leaped
- Then I told her my father and mother was dead, and the law had bound me out to a mean old farmer in the country thirty mile back from the river, and he treated me so bad I couldn't stand it no longer;
Chpt 11 (definition 2) *bound = tied together (in this case, made him like the child of the farmer)editor's notes: This is a figurative use of the word. He was not literally tied with rope, but the law made the farmer like a father who had authority over him.
- We laid there all day, and watched the rafts and steamboats spin down the Missouri shore, and up-bound steamboats fight the big river in the middle.
Chpt 12 (definition 3)bound = traveling in a particular direction
- We fixed up a short forked stick to hang the old lantern on, because we must always light the lantern whenever we see a steamboat coming down-stream, to keep from getting run over; but we wouldn't have to light it for up-stream boats unless we see we was in what they call a "crossing"; for the river was pretty high yet, very low banks being still a little under water; so up-bound boats didn't always run the channel, but hunted easy water.
Chpt 12 (definition 3)
- Say, I reckon your father's poor, and I'm bound to say he's in pretty hard luck.
Chpt 16 (definition 2)bound = required (feel this must be said even if it makes others uncomfortable)
- It would only look like we was finding fault, and that would be bound to fetch more bad luck—and keep on fetching it, too, till we knowed enough to keep still.
Chpt 16 (definition 4)bound = almost certain
- "Wher' you bound for, young man?"
Chpt 24 (definition 3) *bound = heading (traveling to a specific location)editor's notes: In addition to referring to a specific location to which one is traveling, bound can also be used to refer to traveling in a specific direction. For example, in this book Twain also describes steamboats as traveling "up-bound" to say they are traveling up the river.
- If you don't hitch on to one tooth, you're bound to on another, ain't you?
Chpt 28 (definition 4)bound = almost certain
- It was the most astonishing speech I ever heard—and I'm bound to say Tom Sawyer fell considerable in my estimation.
Chpt 33 (definition 2)bound = required (feel this must be said even if it makes others uncomfortable)
- If he was bound to have it so, I couldn't help it.
Chpt 34 (definition 4) *bound = determined
- So when he sees me getting the canoe ready, he says: "Well, then, if you're bound to go, I'll tell you the way to do when you get to the village."
Chpt 40 (definition 4)
- "Don t you what ME, you impudent thing--hand out them letters."
"What letters?"
"THEM letters. I be bound, if I have to take a-holt of you I'll--"
Chpt 42 (definition 4)bound = certain
Definitions:
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(1) (bound as in: The deer bound across the trail.) to leap or jump
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(2) (bound as in: bound together or bound by law) constrained and/or held together or wrappedThe sense of constrained, can mean tied up or obligated depending upon the context. For example:
- "Her wrists were bound." -- tied up
- "I am bound by my word." -- required or obligated (in this case to keep a promise)
- "He is muscle bound." -- prevented from moving easily (due to having such large, tight muscles)
The exact meaning of the senses of held together or wrapped also depend upon context. For example:- "The pages of the book are bound with glue." -- held together physically
- "The book is bound in leather." -- wrapped or covered
- "The United States and England are bound together by a common language." -- connected or united (tied together, figuratively)
- "She cleaned the wound and bound it with fresh bandages." -- wrapped
- "She is wheelchair-bound." -- connected (moves with a wheelchair because she is unable to walk)
- "The jacket has bound buttonholes." -- edges wrapped by fabric or trim rather than stitches
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(3) (bound as in: south-bound lanes) traveling in a particular direction or to a specific location
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(4) (bound as in: bound to succeed.) almost certain to; or determined to