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I. lit. That with or by which a thing is bound.

1. a. Anything with which one's body or limbs are bound in restraint of personal liberty; a shackle, chain, fetter, manacle. arch. (and only in pl.).

c1250 Gen. & Ex. 2230 Bondes ben leid on Symeon. c1340 Cursor M. 7202 (Trin.) Alle his bondes he brake in two [other MSS. bandes, -is]. 1382 WYCLIF Acts xvi. 26 The bondis of alle ben vnbounden. 1570 LEVINS Manip. 166 Bonde, vinculum.

b. abstr. Confinement, imprisonment, custody. (In later times only in pl.) arch.

a1225 St. Marher. 13

u..

^t haldes me in bondes. c1250 Gen. & Ex. 2075 Ic am..holden in bond. 1330 R. BRUNNE Chron. 123 Arnulf.. was taken als thefe, & abrouht in bond. c1400 Gamelyn 401 Lese me out of bond. c1430 Hymns Virg. (1867) 6 Let me neuere falle in boondis of

e queed! 1595 SHAKES. John III. iv. 74, I..will againe commit them to their bonds.

2. a. That with which a thing is bound or tied down, or together, so as to keep it in its position or collective form: formerly including metal hoops girding anything; still the regular name for the withe which ties up a fagot, and in various technical senses. Cf. also 13.

c1340 Cursor M. 1671 (Trin.) Bynde [

e tymber] furste wi

balke & bonde. 1420 E.E. Wills (1882) 46, 1 bord mausure with a bond of seluer. 1542-3 Act 34 & 35 Hen. VIII, iii, The bonde of euery whiche faggotte to conteine three quarters of a yarde. 1690 LOCKE Hum. Und. II. xxiii, What conceivable Hoops, what Bond he can imagine to hold this mass of Matter.

II. fig. A restraining or uniting force.

5. (fig. from 1) Any circumstance that trammels or takes away freedom of action; a force which enslaves the mind through the affections or passion; in pl. trammels, shackles.

c1250 Gen. & Ex. 2716 Moyses..hente

e cherl wi

hise wond, And he fel dun in dedes bond. 1398 TREVISA Barth. De P.R. III. xiii. (1495) 57 The soule..muste suffre for the bonde of the body that he is joyned to. c1440 Gesta Rom. ii. 7 Helde in the bond of seruitute of synne. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 57 Thou must cutte away all outwarde bondes whiche..sholde be let or hynderaunce to perfeccyon.

6. a. A constraining force or tie acting upon the mind, and recognised by it as obligatory.

1330 R. BRUNNE Chron. 260

e bondes of homage & feaute. 1592 WEST Symbol I. I. §2 Therefore it is termed the bond of right or law.

b. Obligation, duty. Obs.

c1449 PECOCK Repr. III. vii. 316 The ensaumple..makith no boond that preestis..lyue withoute endewing of vnmouable possessions. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 160b, Prayers of bonde or duty. 1535 BP. GARDINER in Strype Eccl. Mem. I. II. App. lx. 148, I know my duty and bond to your highnes.

7. a. A uniting or cementing force or influence by which a union of any kind is maintained.

1382 WYCLIF Ephes. iv. 3 Besy for to kepe vnite of spirit in the bond of pees. 1549 Bk. Com. Prayer, Quinquag. Sunday Collect, Charitie, the verie bonde of peace and all vertue. 1690 LOCKE Hum. Und. III. xi, Speech being the great Bond that holds Society together.

III. Legal and technical senses.

9. a. Eng. Law. A deed, by which A (known as the obligor) binds himself, his heirs, executors, or assigns to pay a certain sum of money to B (known as the obligee), or his heirs, etc.

1592 WEST Symbol. Bij. § 31 For a written Bond, is a Contract whereby any man confesseth himselfe by his writing orderly made, sealed, and deliuered to owe any thing unto him with whom he contracteth. 1596 SHAKES. Merch. V. I. iii. 146 Goe with me to a Notarie, seale me there Your single bond.