tie-up

American  

[tahy-uhp] / ˈtaɪˌʌp /

noun

1. a temporary stoppage or slowing of business, traffic, telephone service, etc., as due to a strike, storm, or accident.

2. the act or state of tying up or the state of being tied up.

3. an involvement, connection, or entanglement.

   the tie-up between the two companies; his tie-up with the crime syndicate.

4. a mooring place; place where a boat may be tied up.

5. a cow barn with stalls.

6. a stall allotted to each cow in such a barn.

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tie up British  

verb

1. (tr) to attach or bind securely with or as if with string, rope, etc

2. to moor (a vessel)

3. (tr; often passive) to engage the attentions of

   he's tied up at the moment and can't see you

4. (tr; often passive) to conclude (the organization of something)

   the plans for the trip were tied up well in advance

5. to come or bring to a complete standstill

6. (tr) to invest or commit (funds, etc) and so make unavailable for other uses

7. (tr) to subject (property) to conditions that prevent sale, alienation, or other action

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noun

1. a link or connection

2. a standstill

3. an informal term for traffic jam

tie up Idioms  

1. Fasten securely; also, moor a ship. For example, Can you help me tie up these bundles? or The forecast was terrible, so we decided to tie up at the dock and wait out the storm . The first usage dates from the early 1500s, the nautical usage from the mid-1800s.

2. Impede the progress of, block, as in The accident tied up traffic for hours . [Late 1500s]

3. Keep occupied, engage, as in She was tied up in a meeting all morning . [Late 1800s]

4. Make funds or property inaccessible for other uses, as in Her cash is tied up in government bonds . [Early 1800s]

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Etymology

Origin of tie-up

First recorded in 1705–15; noun use of verb phrase tie up

Example Sentences

Netflix’s deal is expected to face intense antitrust scrutiny, with the Justice Department already weighing how the tie-up would further cement Netflix’s dominance in the media industry.

From The Wall Street Journal

Still, the deal is expected to be investigated by the Justice Department, which has already begun considering how the tie-up would further cement Netflix’s dominance in the media industry.

From The Wall Street Journal

The tie-up is a big bet on a commercially unproven technology that has the U.S. government at its back.

From The Wall Street Journal

The companies said Thursday when announcing their tie-up that they intend to begin construction next year on a 50-megawatt utility-scale fusion power plant and hope to generate first power in 2031.

From The Wall Street Journal

Netflix’s deal is expected to be investigated by the Justice Department, which has already begun considering how the tie-up would further cement the streaming giant’s dominance in the media industry.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• closure
• gridlock
• interruption
• layoff
• shutdown