INDEX:
1. to fasten things together, using rope, string etc
2. to prevent someone from escaping by tying rope around them
3. to tie a knot in something
4. to untie something
RELATED WORDS
to join together the two sides of something : ↑ FASTEN/UNFASTEN
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1. to fasten things together, using rope, string etc
▷ tie /taɪ/ [transitive verb]
to fasten one thing to another using rope, string, wire etc :
tie something to/around/onto etc something
▪ Don’t forget to tie this label onto your suitcase.
▪ The washing line was tied to a tree.
▪ Saul tied one end of the rope around a large rock and lowered himself over the cliff.
tie a package/parcel
keep it closed by putting string around it
▪ The package had been tied with strong green string.
tie something together
▪ If the rope is too short, tie two pieces together.
▪ When the teacher stood up, he found that his shoes had been tied together.
▷ tie up /ˌtaɪ ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to tie things together so that they are held firmly together :
tie something up
▪ I put the coins in a piece of cloth, tied it up and put the package in my bag.
tie up something
▪ Clara tied up all the books again and put the bundle under the desk.
▷ do up /ˌduː ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb] especially British, informal
to tie or fasten something, especially a piece of clothing :
do something up
▪ Could you do up the back of this dress for me?
do up your shoes/laces
tie the strings on your shoes
▪ Do up your laces before you trip and fall.
▷ lash /læʃ/ [transitive verb]
to tie something very tightly to something else so that it will not move at all :
lash something to something
▪ The bags were lashed tightly to the roof of the jeep.
lash something together
▪ The sailors made a raft by lashing tree-trunks together.
▷ rope somebody together /ˌrəʊp somebody təˈgeðəʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb usually in passive]
to tie things or people to each other using a fairly long piece of rope, so that they are connected to each other at a distance :
▪ The climbers were roped together for safety and proceeded cautiously.
2. to prevent someone from escaping by tying rope around them
▷ tie up /ˌtaɪ ˈʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to tie someone’s arms and legs with rope so that they cannot move :
tie somebody up/tie up somebody
▪ The soldiers tied them up and beat them.
▪ Mrs Bennett had been tied up and left in the back of the van.
▷ tie /taɪ/ [transitive verb]
to prevent a person or animal from escaping by tying them with rope etc :
tie somebody to something
▪ The terrorists tied the hostages to their chairs.
▪ Her horse was tied to a tree.
tie somebody’s hands/feet together
▪ The kidnappers had tied his hands together and blindfolded him.
▷ bind /baɪnd/ [transitive verb usually in passive]
to tie someone’s arms, legs etc so that they cannot move at all - used in literature or in newspapers :
▪ The hostages had been bound and gagged and left in a corner of the room.
bind somebody hand and foot
▪ It was like being bound hand and foot to a torturer’s chair.
▷ shackle /ˈʃæk ə l/ [transitive verb]
to tie someone’s legs or arms with a thick chain :
▪ The prisoners were shackled together and forced to walk 600 miles across country.
▷ tether /ˈteðəʳ/ [transitive verb]
to tie an animal such as a dog or horse to something, using a rope, so that it can move around but cannot walk away :
▪ The farmer tethered a goat in the field and left it there for the day.
tether something to something
▪ My horse had been tethered to a post, but somehow it escaped.
3. to tie a knot in something
▷ tie /taɪ/ [transitive verb]
to tie a knot in a piece of string, rope, cloth etc :
tie a knot in something
▪ Quickly tying a knot in his tie, John finished dressing and went to work.
tie a knot/bow
▪ At school camp they taught us how to tie various knots.
tie the laces/tapes etc
▪ Pull both ends tight, tie the tapes, then inflate the life jacket.
▷ knot /nɒtǁnɑːt/ [transitive verb]
to tie a knot in something in order to fasten it :
▪ He tied the rope to the tree, knotted it, and attached the other end to his car.
knot something around something
▪ Britt casually knotted a silk scarf around her neck.
4. to untie something
▷ undo /ʌnˈduː/ [transitive verb]
to remove the string or rope from something so that it is no longer held together :
▪ I can’t undo the string!
▪ She undid the ribbon and let her hair fall over her shoulders.
▷ untie /ʌnˈtaɪ/ [transitive verb]
to remove or unfasten the string or rope that joins one thing to another :
▪ Someone had untied the boat and it had floated away.
▪ It was several hours before anyone found me and untied me.
▷ disentangle /ˌdɪsɪnˈtæŋg ə l, ˌdɪsənˈtæŋg ə l/ [transitive verb]
to untie a group of wires, ropes etc that have all been mixed together :
▪ The balls of wool were all mixed up, and I couldn’t disentangle them.