I. bond 1 AC /bɒnd $ bɑːnd/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ bond , ↑ bonding ; verb : ↑ bond ]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old Norse ; Origin: band ]
1 . MONEY an official document promising that a government or company will pay back money that it has borrowed, often with ↑ interest :
My father put all his money into stock market bonds.
furious trading on the bond market
⇨ ↑ junk bond , ↑ premium bond , ↑ savings bond
2 . RELATIONSHIP something that unites two or more people or groups, such as love, or a shared interest or idea ⇨ tie
bond between
the emotional bond between mother and child
bond with
the United States’ special bond with Britain
bond of
lifelong bonds of friendship
3 . bonds [plural] literary something that limits your freedom and prevents you from doing what you want
bonds of
the bonds of fear and guilt
4 . WITH GLUE the way in which two surfaces become attached to each other using glue:
Use a glue gun to form a strong bond on wood or china.
5 . CHEMISTRY technical the chemical force that holds atoms together in a ↑ molecule :
In each methane molecule there are four CH bonds.
6 . WRITTEN AGREEMENT a written agreement to do something, that makes you legally responsible for doing it ⇨ contract
7 . my word is my bond formal used to say that you will definitely do what you have promised
8 . in/out of bond technical in or out of a ↑ bonded warehouse
• • •
COLLOCATIONS (for Meaning 2)
■ adjectives
▪ a close/strong bond
A strong bond had developed between them.
▪ a common bond (=one that people share)
They shared a common bond – a love of literature.
▪ a special bond
There was a special bond between him and his mother.
▪ an emotional bond
As soon as we met we felt an emotional bond.
■ verbs
▪ form/forge a bond (=make a bond)
Frequently horses form a strong bond with their riders.
▪ have a bond
Twins often have a very close bond.
▪ feel a bond
The people of the island feel a strong bond with each other.
▪ strengthen a bond
Sharing experiences strengthens bonds with friends.
▪ break/destroy a bond
He didn’t want to do anything to break the bond between them.
▪ a bond develops (=a bond of friendship developed between them)
Over six months of working together, a close bond developed.
II. bond 2 AC BrE AmE verb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ bond , ↑ bonding ; verb : ↑ bond ]
1 . [intransitive] if two things bond with each other, they become firmly fixed together, especially after they have been joined with glue:
It takes less than ten minutes for the two surfaces to bond.
2 . [intransitive] to develop a special relationship with someone ⇨ bonding
bond with
Time must be given for the mother to bond with her baby.
3 . [transitive] technical to keep goods in a bonded warehouse