I Swear English › Vocabulary A–Z › Binding
What does ‘Binding’ mean?
Related forms: Legal phrase and Skiing
Legally enforceable. This means you have a legal obligation to carry something out that is set out in a contract. It is common to refer to a contract as a binding contract.
“When you sign the contract it becomes binding”.
In skiing the binding is the thing that attaches the boot to the ski. More generally a binding is the thing maybe a string or cord that holds a number of other things together.
“A good pair of bindings is necessary if you are serious about skiing”.
“Cut the bindings and we'll see what is inside”.
The spine of a book. A bookbinder binds books. There are some very beautiful tooled leather bindings.
“The bindings were made of pigskin decorated with gold leaf”.
“This book is falling to pieces it needs rebinding”.
To bind is sometimes used in the sense of stop or force. It means that a person has obligations that stop them acting in a certain way. A person is bound by constraints.
“There is nothing binding you from emigrating. You have no family ties”.
Watch: ‘Binding’ explained
Video transcript
B is for Binding. Binding is an adjective that means you have a legal obligation to do something. It's from the verb to bind, to tie. To tie up. OK. So, for example: a binding contract is a contract that you have a legal obligation to fulfil. You are bound, you are tied to fulfilling the contract, to complying with the contract. OK, so binding, you have a legal obligation to do something. To bind. So, thanks for watching and I'll see you in another video. Bye for now.