binding

American  

[bahyn-ding] / ˈbaɪn dɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of fastening, securing, uniting, or the like.

2. anything that binds.

3. the covering within which the leaves of a book are bound. bound.

4. a strip of material that protects or decorates the edge of a tablecloth, rug, etc.

5. Skiing. a mechanical device on a ski, usually made of metal, that fastens the boot securely to the ski.

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adjective

1. that binds; restrictive.

2. having power to bind or oblige; obligatory.

   a binding promise.

binding British  

/ ˈbaɪndɪŋ /

noun

1. anything that binds or fastens

2. the covering within which the pages of a book are bound

3. the material or tape used for binding hems, etc

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adjective

1. imposing an obligation or duty

   a binding promise

2. causing hindrance; restrictive

Other Word Forms

• bindingly adverb
• bindingness noun
• nonbinding adjective
• nonbindingly adverb
• nonbindingness noun

Etymology

Origin of binding

Middle English word dating back to 1200–50; bind, -ing ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

It works by binding to a distinctive bacterial sugar and alerting the immune system to destroy the invading pathogen.

From Science Daily

The survey's recommendations are not binding on the government but can inform policy decisions.

From BBC

The bindings allow for toe-only attachment on the climb, and heel lockdown for skiing down the hill.

From Los Angeles Times

Legally binding texts, running into thousands of pages, are what matters, he added.

From The Wall Street Journal

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has expressed concerns about the competition OpenAI faces from the likes of Google and Anthropic and stressed that the investment agreement is not binding, according to the Journal.

From Barron's

Related Words

• conclusive
• irrevocable
• mandatory
• required