TIE (tying)

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tie mean? 

• TIE (noun)
  The noun TIE has 9 senses:

1. neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
2. a social or business relationship
3. the finish of a contest in which the score is tied and the winner is undecided
4. a horizontal beam used to prevent two other structural members from spreading apart or separating
5. a fastener that serves to join or connect
6. equality of score in a contest
7. (music) a slur over two notes of the same pitch; indicates that the note is to be sustained for their combined time value
8. one of the cross braces that support the rails on a railway track
9. a cord (or string or ribbon or wire etc.) with which something is tied

  Familiarity information: TIE used as a noun is familiar.

• TIE (verb)
  The verb TIE has 9 senses:

1. fasten or secure with a rope, string, or cord
2. finish a game with an equal number of points, goals, etc.
3. limit or restrict to
4. connect, fasten, or put together two or more pieces
5. form a knot or bow in
6. create social or emotional ties
7. perform a marriage ceremony
8. make by tying pieces together
9. unite musical notes by a tie

  Familiarity information: TIE used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TIE (noun)

Sense 1

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

tie; necktie

Context examples:

he stood in front of the mirror tightening his necktie / he wore a vest and tie

Hypernyms ("tie" is a kind of...):

neckwear (articles of clothing worn about the neck)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tie"):

Windsor tie (a wide necktie worn in a loose bow)

string tie (a very narrow necktie usually tied in a bow)

old school tie (necktie indicating the school the wearer attended)

four-in-hand (a long necktie that is tied in a slipknot with one end hanging in front of the other)

bow tie; bow-tie; bowtie (a man's tie that ties in a bow)

bola; bola tie; bolo; bolo tie (a cord fastened around the neck with an ornamental clasp and worn as a necktie)

Sense 2

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A social or business relationship

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

affiliation; tie-up; tie; association

Context examples:

a valuable financial affiliation / he was sorry he had to sever his ties with other members of the team / many close associations with England

Hypernyms ("tie" is a kind of...):

relationship (a state involving mutual dealings between people or parties or countries)

Sense 3

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The finish of a contest in which the score is tied and the winner is undecided

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

standoff; draw; tie

Context examples:

the game ended in a draw / their record was 3 wins, 6 losses and a tie

Hypernyms ("tie" is a kind of...):

finish (designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tie"):

stalemate (drawing position in chess: any of a player's possible moves would place his king in check)

dead heat (a tie in a race)

Sense 4

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A horizontal beam used to prevent two other structural members from spreading apart or separating

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

tie beam; tie

Context example:

he nailed the rafters together with a tie beam

Hypernyms ("tie" is a kind of...):

beam (long thick piece of wood or metal or concrete, etc., used in construction)

Sense 5

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A fastener that serves to join or connect

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

linkup; tie-in; link; tie

Context example:

the walls are held together with metal links placed in the wet mortar during construction

Hypernyms ("tie" is a kind of...):

fastener; fastening; fixing; holdfast (restraint that attaches to something or holds something in place)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tie"):

bridge; nosepiece (the link between two lenses; rests on nose)

Sense 6

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Equality of score in a contest

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("tie" is a kind of...):

equality; equation; equivalence; par (a state of being essentially equal or equivalent; equally balanced)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tie"):

deuce (a tie in tennis or table tennis that requires winning two successive points to win the game)

Sense 7

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

(music) a slur over two notes of the same pitch; indicates that the note is to be sustained for their combined time value

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("tie" is a kind of...):

slur ((music) a curved line spanning notes that are to be played legato)

Domain category:

music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)

Sense 8

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

One of the cross braces that support the rails on a railway track

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

railroad tie; crosstie; sleeper; tie

Context example:

the British call a railroad tie a sleeper

Hypernyms ("tie" is a kind of...):

brace; bracing (a structural member used to stiffen a framework)

Holonyms ("tie" is a part of...):

railroad; railroad track; railway (a line of track providing a runway for wheels)

Sense 9

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A cord (or string or ribbon or wire etc.) with which something is tied

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

he needed a tie for the packages

Hypernyms ("tie" is a kind of...):

cord (a line made of twisted fibers or threads)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tie"):

drawing string; drawstring; string (a tie consisting of a cord that goes through a seam around an opening)

• TIE (verb)

Sense 1

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Fasten or secure with a rope, string, or cord

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

tie; bind

Context example:

They tied their victim to the chair

Hypernyms (to "tie" is one way to...):

fasten; fix; secure (cause to be firmly attached)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tie"):

lace; lace up (draw through eyes or holes)

band (bind or tie together, as with a band)

lash (bind with a rope, chain, or cord)

knot (tie or fasten into a knot)

strap (tie with a strap)

leash; rope (fasten with a rope)

truss (tie the wings and legs of a bird before cooking it)

lash together (bind together with a cord or rope)

cord (bind or tie with a cord)

loop (fasten or join with a loop)

bind off; tie up (finish the last row)

retie (tie again or anew)

gag; muzzle (tie a gag around someone's mouth in order to silence them)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s something to somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Antonym:

untie (undo the ties of)

Also:

tie down; tie up (secure with or as if with ropes)

Sense 2

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Finish a game with an equal number of points, goals, etc.

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

tie; draw

Context example:

The teams drew a tie

Hypernyms (to "tie" is one way to...):

equal; equalise; equalize; equate; match (make equal, uniform, corresponding, or matching)

"Tie" entails doing...:

play (participate in games or sport)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 3

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Limit or restrict to

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context examples:

I am tied to UNIX / These big jets are tied to large airports

Hypernyms (to "tie" is one way to...):

bound; confine; limit; restrain; restrict; throttle; trammel (place limits on (extent or access))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 4

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Connect, fasten, or put together two or more pieces

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

connect; link; link up; tie

Context examples:

Can you connect the two loudspeakers? / Tie the ropes together / Link arms

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tie"):

tee (connect with a tee)

put through (connect by telephone)

hitch (connect to a vehicle:)

hang together; interdepend (be connected)

bridge; bridge over (connect or reduce the distance between)

interconnect; interlink (cause to be interconnected or interwoven)

tie (unite musical notes by a tie)

daisy-chain (connect devices on a part of a chip or circuit board in a computer)

attach (cause to be attached)

bring together; join (cause to become joined or linked)

ground (connect to a ground)

conjoin; join (make contact or come together)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 5

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Form a knot or bow in

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

tie a necktie

Hypernyms (to "tie" is one way to...):

form; shape (give shape or form to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 6

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Create social or emotional ties

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

bind; bond; attach; tie

Context example:

The grandparents want to bond with the child

Hypernyms (to "tie" is one way to...):

relate (have or establish a relationship to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tie"):

fixate (attach (oneself) to a person or thing in a neurotic way)

befriend (become friends with)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Sense 7

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Perform a marriage ceremony

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

marry; splice; wed; tie

Context examples:

The minister married us on Saturday / We were wed the following week / The couple got spliced on Hawaii

Hypernyms (to "tie" is one way to...):

officiate (act in an official capacity in a ceremony or religious ritual, such as a wedding)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tie"):

solemnise; solemnize (perform (the wedding ceremony) with proper ceremonies)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 8

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Make by tying pieces together

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

The fishermen tied their flies

Hypernyms (to "tie" is one way to...):

fashion; forge (make out of components (often in an improvising manner))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 9

tie [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Unite musical notes by a tie

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "tie" is one way to...):

connect; link; link up; tie (connect, fasten, or put together two or more pieces)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something