All 4 Uses of
bound
in
The Importance of Being Earnest
- I feel bound to tell you that you are not down on my list of eligible young men, although I have the same list as the dear Duchess of Bolton has.†
Act 1 *
- But I am bound to state that now that I know that you are Mr. Worthing's ward, I cannot help expressing a wish you were—well, just a little older than you seem to be—and not quite so very alluring in appearance.†
Act 2
- It would distress me more than I can tell you, dear Gwendolen, if it caused you any mental or physical anguish, but I feel bound to point out that since Ernest proposed to you he clearly has changed his mind.†
Act 2
- My dear Mr. Worthing, as Miss Cardew states positively that she cannot wait till she is thirty-five—a remark which I am bound to say seems to me to show a somewhat impatient nature—I would beg of you to reconsider your decision.†
Act 3
Definitions:
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(1)
(bound as in: south-bound lanes) traveling in a particular direction or to a specific location
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(2)
(bound as in: bound to succeed) almost certain to; or determined to
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(3)
(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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(4)
(bound as in: out of bounds) a boundary or limit
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(5)
(bound as in: The deer bound across the trail.) to leap or jump
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(6)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
For more specialized senses of bound, see a comprehensive dictionary. For example, the word can refer to constipation and has specialized meanings in law, chemistry, logic, and linguistics.