BOUND
What does "BOUND" mean?
To leap or spring energetically, or to be tied, certain, or limited depending on sense.
Meanings
- To move forward with leaping strides. The dog bounded across the lawn to greet her.
- Certain or sure to do something. If you keep skipping practice, you're bound to fall behind.
- Tied up, fastened, or obliged by duty or law. They were bound by a strict confidentiality agreement.
- Going or intending to go toward a particular place. We caught the train bound for the coast.
- A limit or boundary of an area or of what is acceptable. Their generosity knew no bounds.
- To form the boundary of; to enclose or limit. The estate is bounded on the north by a river. formal
Word origin
The 'leap' sense comes from French 'bondir' ('to bounce, resound'); the 'limit' sense from Old French 'bonde' ('boundary'); and the 'tied' sense is the past participle of 'bind', from Old English 'bindan'.
Remember it
BOUND packs three words in one: BOUNCE (leap), BIND (tied), and BORDER (limit) - all share the 'b' and the idea of an edge or push.
A little poem
The hare is bound across the field,
and bound by hedge it cannot leave,
and bound, it seems, to leap once more-
one word, three ways to be unfree, or free.
quatrain
Wordplay
- The kangaroo signed a contract: now it's legally bound, and also just bounding away.
What it teaches
The same word ties you down and sends you leaping - limits and momentum share a border.
Quick facts
What does BOUND mean?
To leap or spring energetically, or to be tied, certain, or limited depending on sense.
Is BOUND a valid word?
Yes — BOUND is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is BOUND?
BOUND has 5 letters and 1 syllable.
Where does BOUND come from?
The 'leap' sense comes from French 'bondir' ('to bounce, resound'); the 'limit' sense from Old French 'bonde' ('boundary'); and the 'tied' sense is the past participle of 'bind', from Old English 'bindan'.
What can BOUND teach us?
The same word ties you down and sends you leaping - limits and momentum share a border.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.