I. ˈtī noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English teg, tey, tye, from Old English tēag; akin to Old Norse taug rope, string, Old English tēon to pull — more at tow
1.
a. : something (as a line, chain, ribbon) in the form of a cord used for fastening, uniting, or drawing closed some material thing
dainty pink ties down the front of her robe
ordered six cattle ties
the mouth of the sack was closed by a tie
as
(1) : shoelace
(2) : tye IV
(3) : stop 4c(1)
b. : a structural element that serves to link other elements and usually to reinforce the structure of which it is a part: as
(1) : a beam, rod, or angle iron holding two pieces together : a tension member in a construction — compare strut
(2) : one of the transverse supports to which railroad rails are fastened to keep them to line, gage, and grade and to cushion, distribute, and transmit the stresses of traffic through the ballast to the roadbed — called also crosstie, sleeper
(3) : key 12a
(4) : a fastening strip of leather, cord, or fabric attached to a book cover at its fore edge or to the open end of a portfolio
(5) : a narrow strip left in the open part of a stencil to stiffen or hold together the design
2. : something that serves as a connecting link usually between discrete elements: as
a.
(1) : a moral or legal obligation to someone or something typically constituting a restraining power, influence, or duty : a bond that constrains or restrains
pledged by the ties of common purpose
unwilling to accept the ties and responsibilities of family life
(2) : a linking force that tends to unify : a shared and unifying relationship
the ties of race
the strong tie of community of interests
there may or may not be a determinable tie between race and language
b.
(1) : a curved line that joins two musical notes indicating the same pitch and that is used to denote a single tone sustained through the time value of the two : bind — compare slur 2a
(2) : a connecting line in stroked notes
c. Britain : the obligation of a tied house to purchase its goods of a particular firm
d. : a connection between electric power systems by means of which each can interchange power with the other
3.
a. : an equality in number (as of votes or scores)
b. : equality in a contest (as a race, election, or competition) ; also : a match or contest that ends in a draw
c. Britain : a deciding match played by those who tied in previous competition
d. : a match in a sports tournament in which the contestants are paired off two by two and the losers drop out until only one contestant is left as winner
4. : a method or style of tying or knotting: as
a. : a method of connecting the harness cords in a jacquard loom to produce a desired pattern ; also : the arrangement of cords thus produced
b. : an arrangement (as of loops or eyelets) for the lacing of a shoe
5. : something that is knotted or is to be knotted when worn: as
a. : tiewig
b. archaic : a knot of hair
c. : necktie
d. : a low laced shoe commonly without a tongue and with three or fewer pairs of eyelets — compare oxford
6. : a depression over the spine near the middle of the back of developed cattle where the skin is bound down by connective tissue
II. verb
( tied or archaic tight ; tied or archaic tight ; tying or tieing ; ties )
Etymology: Middle English tegen, teyen, tyen, from Old English tīegan, tīgan; akin to Old Norse teygja to stretch out, draw; causative-denominative from the root of English tie (I)
transitive verb
1.
a. : to fasten, attach, bring together, close, or restrain by means of a tie (as a line, chain, ribbon)
tie your horse to the tree
her bonnet was tied on
tied his bathrobe and went to the door
vicious dogs should be tied
tie off a bleeding artery
tie a bundle
b.
(1) : to form a knot or bow in (as a line)
tie your scarf
(2) : to form (as a knot) in the course of tying something
wished she could tie such a neat bow
learned to tie a square knot
(3) : to make by tying constituent elements
tied a daisy wreath
especially : to make (artificial angling flies) by securing feathers, tinsel, and other parts to the shank of a fishhook
2. : to bring together firmly as if tied by a rope : unite in some manner into a functional whole
tied the addition into the older building
as
a. : to unite in marriage
b. : to unite (as musical notes) by a tie
c. : to fix (a railroad track) in position with supporting ties ; also : to provide (as a railroad line) with ties
d. : to join electrically (two power systems) in order that power may be interchanged
3. : to restrain from independence or freedom of action or choice as if tied by a rope
illness tied him to his bed
as
a. : to constrain by or as if by authority, influence, agreement, or obligation
tied to his job by a contract
responsibilities that tie one down
b. obsolete : to reduce to bondage : enslave
c. : to bind by gratitude for past favors : put under obligation
d. obsolete : to make (as a treaty) binding usually by some formal act or attestation
4.
a. : to make or have an equal score with in a contest or competition
the home team tied the visitors
b. : to come up with something equal to or better than : equal , beat
can you tie that
5. : to cancel (a postage stamp) so that both cover and stamp receive a firm imprint giving the stamp added philatelic value on cover and making the cover proof against falsification as a philatelic item
tie a stamp with a slogan cancellation
a stamp tied to cover with a first-day cancellation
intransitive verb
1. : to make a tie: as
a. : to make a bond or connection
b. : to make an equal score : equal
c. : to pair one's vote
d. : attach
his answer ties logically to the earlier discussion
e. : to close by means of a tie
a wraparound that ties at the waist
2. : to stipulate in a loan contract between two countries that the borrowing country expend all or part of the loan on goods of the lending country
•
- tie a can to
- tie by the leg
- tie into
- tie one on
- tie one's hands
- tie one's tongue
- tie the knot
- tie to