to tie down

Examples

• All

• It's a part of our life, but so we're kind of in this phase where we can pursue things that interest us, you know, because we aren't tied down to things.

• You may feel frazzled and frustrated, tied down, lonely, or trapped in a situation.

  Blog text (20)

• From the first, they had agreed to lead independent lives and not to be tied down by one another.

  Fiction book (1998)

• I know my father would hate to be tied down.

  Fiction book (1999)

• I can only imagine that it's the fear I always have of being tied down or trapped.

  Blog text (30)

• Look, I just don't wanna be tied down to anybody.

  Forget Me Not (2009)

• We had enough to get by, and the main thing was we didn't want to be tied down to jobs.

  Fiction book (1999)

• She felt that getting married would tie down her dreams of traveling the world.

• Many young people fear that starting a family will tie them down and limit their freedom.

Synonyms

T

to tie

vsto tie down

314 4.2

To make someone stay in one place or situation

creates dependence by assigning responsibility rather than mere restriction

B

to bind

vsto tie down

• Formal

216 4.4

To make someone legally required to do something

creates dependence by making someone responsible rather than only legal obligation

R

to restrain

vsto tie down

86 4.6

Hold a person or thing so it cannot move freely

limits freedom by creating reliance through responsibility rather than physical control

C

to constrain

vsto tie down

64 5.6

To limit what someone can do or how they can act

creates dependence by imposing responsibility rather than only limiting options

S

to shackle

vsto tie down

35 6.2

To restrain someone with chains or limit their freedom

limits freedom by assigning duties and dependence rather than metal restraints

T

to tie up

vsto tie down

25 3.8

Cause a delay that stops activity or movement

limits freedom by making someone dependent through responsibility rather than causing delay

T

to tether

vsto tie down

23 4.4

To tie an animal or object so it cannot move away

limits freedom by creating responsibility or dependence rather than fixing location

H

to hold down

vsto tie down

22 3.2

To keep something low and stop it from getting bigger

limits freedom by making someone dependent through responsibilities not control

E

to encumber

vsto tie down

9 7.6

To make it difficult for someone or something to act

limits freedom by causing dependence through responsibility rather than physical burden

B

to box in

vsto tie down

8 4.7

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

creates dependence by forcing responsibility rather than only physical confinement

H

to hog-tie

vsto tie down

• Informal

4 9.3

To tie the arms and legs of a person or animal so they cannot move

limits freedom by making someone dependent through responsibility not by immobilizing limbs

F

to fetter

vsto tie down

3 8.7

To tie or chain someone's feet to stop them moving freely

limits freedom by creating dependency through responsibility rather than physical chains

T

to tie someone's hands

vsto tie down

1 4.8

Stop someone from acting or making decisions

creates dependence by giving responsibility that reduces independent action

C

to clip the wings

vsto tie down

• Informal

1 7.2

To limit someone's freedom, power, or plans

limits freedom by imposing dependency and responsibility rather than only cutting power

E

to enchain

vsto tie down

• Archaic

1 9.5

To tie someone with chains or hold them under close control

creates dependence by imposing responsibility rather than literal or figurative chains

B

to bind hand and foot

vsto tie down

• Informal

1 8.0

To stop someone completely from acting freely

limits freedom by creating dependency and duties instead of total immobilization

Antonyms

U

to unburden

6 4.9

To remove a heavy load from someone, physical or emotional, often by talking

How Restricted

to enslave

• NSFW

101 5.7

to tie down

17 4.7

to bind

• Formal

216 4.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology