Tie | Mean of tie in English Dictionary

/ˈtaɪ/

• Verb
• to attach (someone or something) to something with a string, rope, etc.
1. His kidnappers tied him to a chair.
2. She tied (up) the dog to a post and went into the store.
• to pass (something, such as a string, ribbon, or rope) around itself in a way that attaches it to something or holds it in place
1. He tied (up) his shoelaces/necktie.
2. She tied a scarf around her neck.
3. He tied the ropes together. [=he attached the ropes to each other by tying a knot]
4. She wrapped a ribbon around the box and tied a bow. [=made a bow]
5. She tied knots in the rope.
6. He tied the rope to a tree branch.
7. I tied the dog's leash to a post and went into the store.
8. At the end of the book, she ties together the separate plots of the story.
• to close or hold (something) with a string, rope, etc., that is attached to it or wrapped around it
1. You need to tie your shoe.
2. The butcher tied (up) the package with string.
3. His hands and feet had been tied together.
4. Tie your hair back (in a ponytail) so it won't fall in your face.
5. She tied the apron loosely around her waist.
6. The apron ties (up) in the back.

• to make the score of a game or contest equal
1. She tied (up) the score with a late goal.
2. He can tie (up) the game with a home run.
3. The team still has a chance to tie.
• to end a game, race, etc., with the same score or in the same position as another person or team
1. He tied for first/second place. [=he and another competitor both finished with the same score in first/second place]
• to achieve the same score, time, etc., as (a person, a record, etc.)
1. I had the lead but he tied me by making a birdie on the last hole.
2. Her time tied the world record.
3. He tied the school's record in the high jump.
• to connect (someone or something) to another person or thing
1. He argues that poverty is closely tied to poor health. [=that poverty and poor health are closely related/connected]
2. The rise in crime has been tied [=linked] to drug dealing.
3. The rate of production is tied to consumer demand. [=the rate of production depends on consumer demand]
4. The prices of Web ads are tied to the number of visitors the sites have.
• to cause or require (someone) to be somewhere, do something, etc.
1. He has responsibilities that tie him to this area. [=that prevent him from leaving this area]
2. She was tired of being tied to the same routine. [=of always having the same routine]
3. He was tied to his desk all day. [=he had to work at his desk all day]
4. I didn't want to be tied to driving her to work every day.
• to attach (something or someone) especially to a flat surface by using string, rope, etc.
1. A storm was coming, so the captain ordered us to tie everything down.
2. She tied down the flaps of the tent.
3. They had him tied down on a stretcher.
• to limit the freedom of (someone)
1. Having a family ties people down.
2. She doesn't want to tie herself down to a schedule.
3. You're too young to be tied down with so much responsibility.
• to be related or connected to something
1. The book's illustrations tie in to/with the story very well.
• to connect (something) to something else
1. The teacher tied in what we learned last week with today's lesson.
2. The publication of the senator's book was tied in to his announcement that he will run for president.
• to fasten or hold (something) by tying a knot or bow at its end
1. I finished knitting the last row and tied off the yarn.
• to close (something) with string, thread, etc.
1. The surgeon tied off the vein.
• to become drunk
1. He really tied one on last night.
• to become attached or to attach (something) to a fixed object with a string, rope, etc.
1. They tied (the boat) up and jumped out.
2. The ferry ties up at the south slip.
• to deal with (something) in order to complete something
1. The project is almost finished, but we still have a few final details to tie up. = We still have to tie up some loose ends.
2. The writer ties up all the loose ends at the end of the story.
• to prevent the use or progress of (something)
1. He tied up the phone for an hour. [=he used the phone for an hour and other people could not use it]
2. Traffic was tied up [=backed up] for hours/miles.
• to invest (money) in (something) in a way that prevents it from being used for some other purpose
1. They tied up all of their money in their new business.
2. The money was tied up in stocks.
• to be connected or related to (something)
1. Today's lesson tied up with what was taught yesterday.
2. My life is tied up with hers.
• to tie rope, tape, etc., around the body, arms, or legs of (someone) in order to keep that person from moving or escaping
1. The robbers tied up the clerk.
• to prevent (someone) from doing other things or from going to a particular place
1. Meetings tied me up for most of the afternoon.
2. She was tied up in traffic.
3. I'd like to help but I'm a bit tied up at the moment.
• Noun
• a piece of string, ribbon, cord, etc., that is used for fastening, joining, or closing something
1. The pants have a tie at the top.
• something (such as an idea, interest, experience, or feeling) that is shared by people or groups and that forms a connection between them
1. family ties
2. political/economic/cultural ties
3. the ties of friendship
4. The company has close ties to conservative groups.
5. Recent events have strengthened/cemented the ties between our two countries.
6. She has severed all ties with the company.
7. The experience loosened the ties that bind (us together).
• a responsibility that limits a person's freedom to do other things
1. He was not ready to accept the ties of family life.
• the final result of a game, contest, etc., in which two or more people or teams finish with the same number of points, votes, etc.
1. The game ended in a tie. = The game was a tie. [=both teams/players had the same score at the end of the game]
2. They played to a 3–3 tie. [=each team/player had 3 points when the game ended]
3. There was a tie for second place.
• a situation in which two or more people or teams have the same number of points, votes, etc., in a game or contest
1. She broke the tie with a goal in the final seconds of the match.
2. a tie score
• one of the heavy pieces of wood to which the rails of a railroad are fastened
• a match in a sports competition (such as a soccer or tennis tournament) in which the loser is eliminated
1. They won the tie in the first round and went on to win the cup.