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

There are a few reasons to believe in a SpaceX-Tesla tie-up, including one that involves Mars.

From Barron's

Several senators, both Republicans and Democrats, expressed concern at the Judiciary Committee hearing about the market power of a Netflix-Warner tie-up.

From The Wall Street Journal

He sees a potential SpaceX-Tesla tie-up coming within the next 12 to 18 months, creating a company to lead the “AI Revolution.”

From Barron's

But Wedbush analyst and Tesla bull Daniel Ives said a Tesla and SpaceX tie-up could happen within 12 to 18 months and be the “holy grail” Musk needs to control more of the AI ecosystem.

From MarketWatch

Musk has previously mused about a broader tie-up of his companies, once describing a holding company for Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink and Boring Co. as a “good idea” several years ago.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• closure
• gridlock
• interruption
• layoff
• shutdown