to bound

Examples

• All

• He was sitting on a wall that bounds our property.

  Cape Fear (1991)

• At this time, his life was bounded by the arrival and departure of mail boats.

  Fiction book (1990)

• To be at university is to be within the bounded space of the campus.

  Academic text (2017)

• A piece of string one inch long is finite in length and bounded by its ends.

  Academic text (1991)

• Off to the right, the fairway was bounded by a sheer drop to the ocean.

  Fiction book (1994)

• To the east, this area is bounded by the confluence and the lower Niger.

  Academic text (1991)

• The South Port car market was bounded by Proletariat Prospect and a loop of the Moscow River.

  Fiction book (1992)

• The final climb brought us through a narrow gorge bounded by sheer cliffs of beige rock.

  Academic text (1991)

• The stream is bounded by a series of large boulders on either side.

• Our house is bounded by a white picket fence that keeps out stray animals.

Synonyms

L

to limit

vsto bound

∞ 2.1

To control how much or how often something happens

also can mean to form the outer border or keep things inside

R

to restrict

vsto bound

361 3.1

Limit how much people can use or access something

also covers the physical idea of forming an outer limit or edge

C

to confine

vsto bound

215 4.2

Keep someone or something within limits, for example in a small space

also includes the idea of creating the outer line or edge of something

C

to confine to

vsto bound

106 4.8

To keep something within set limits, for example in a room or a topic

can additionally mean to form the outer edge or boundary of something

B

to border

vsto bound

46 2.3

To be next to a country or area along a boundary

can instead describe creating or enforcing a limit rather than just touching it

B

to box in

vsto bound

8 4.7

To stop a person or thing from moving, acting freely and making choices

also includes the neutral action of simply forming a surrounding edge

C

to circumscribe

vsto bound

• Formal

6 8.1

To keep something within certain limits

also refers to making the actual boundary line or edge itself

T

to throttle

vsto bound

5 7.5

To reduce or control how much of something is allowed

is broader, also meaning to create a boundary or keep things inside limits

D

to demarcate

vsto bound

4 7.9

To mark the border between two areas with a line or fence

adds the sense of restricting movement or keeping things inside limits

C

to clamp

vsto bound

• Specialized

1 6.6

Keep a number between a minimum and a maximum

is a general action also used to form or mark an outer limit in context

D

to delimit

vsto bound

• Formal

1 7.0

To mark the edges of an area or idea

also means to keep something within limits rather than only mark edges

T

to trammel

vsto bound

• Formal

1 9.9

To limit someone's freedom or ability to act

is more neutral and can mean just forming the outer edge or limit

D

to delimitate

vsto bound

• Formal

8.7

Set or mark the limits of an area like a project

also carries the idea of keeping things inside those limits

S

to set a clear boundary

vsto bound

4.1

To make a clear line between two areas or kinds of activity

can also mean to hold something inside those established limits

Antonyms

E

to expand

805 2.5

To grow larger in size, amount, or importance

U

unbound

5 5.2

Not tied or held, able to move and act freely

Idioms

B

bound hand and foot

• Informal

7.7

Not able to act freely because rules or people stop you

Phrasal Verbs

B

bound up

6 6.0

Closely connected with someone or something

Compounds

B

bound for

53 3.7

Going to a particular place, usually by travel

L

lower bound

• Specialized

3 7.0

A value that is no larger than any number in a set

U

upper bound

• Specialized

3 7.2

A number that is as big as or bigger than every number in a set

H

homeward-bound

1 3.9

Going toward home

O

outward-bound

1 5.2

Going away from a place, like a ship or train starting its journey

B

bound form

• Specialized

9.6

A small part added to a word that cannot stand alone, like -s in cats and -ed in walked

B

bound morpheme

• Specialized

8.6

A word part that cannot stand alone, like re- or -s

How Restrictive

to imprison

• Formal

178 4.2

to confine

215 4.2

to bound

11 5.3

to enclose

84 3.7

to border

12 3.1

Surface Forms

Etymology