tie
tie — noun
1. A strip of coloured fabric worn by men and boys around the neck, passed beneath
A strip of coloured fabric worn by men and boys around the neck, passed beneath the collar points and gathered into a visible knot at the throat.
Nikos wore a blue silk tie to his cousin's wedding.
collocation: silk tie / striped tie / knitted tie
Theo loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar after the long meeting.
The shop assistant showed Imran how to knot a silk tie properly before his first job interview.
At formal dinners, men are usually expected to wear a jacket and tie.
- wear a tie
- knot a tie
- loosen a tie
- silk tie
- striped tie
- bow tie
Grammar Patterns
wear + tie
knot + tie
loosen + tie
2. A piece of string, wire, or plastic used to close a bag, bundle, or container, o
A piece of string, wire, or plastic used to close a bag, bundle, or container, or to hold objects together.
Quan sealed the bread bag with a plastic twist tie.
collocation: twist tie / cable tie / zip tie
The gardener used a rubber tie to keep the bundle of sticks together.
Nala pulled the drawstring tie tight on her gym bag before leaving.
The florist fastened the bouquet with a green plastic tie before wrapping it in paper.
- plastic tie
- twist tie
- cable tie
- rubber tie
- drawstring tie
Grammar Patterns
plastic/cable/wire + tie
tie + around + object
Usage Note
Often combined with a material word to form a compound noun: 'twist tie', 'cable tie', 'zip tie'.
3. A strong connection between people, groups, or countries based on shared feeling
A strong connection between people, groups, or countries based on shared feelings, family links, or common interests.
Close ties between the Yamadas and Chens go back three generations to a Taipei shop.
collocation: close ties / family ties / strong ties
Mizuki still feels a deep tie to the small village where she grew up.
Trade ties between Thailand and Vietnam grew stronger after the two governments signed a tariff-reduction agreement in 2023.
Despite living far apart, the sisters kept their family ties alive through weekly video calls.
- family ties
- close ties
- strong ties
- diplomatic ties
- cultural ties
- ties of friendship
- bond
Emphasises an emotional or affectionate connection; 'bond' can feel warmer
- link
More neutral; can refer to both human connections and logical connections
- relationship
Broader term; includes business and formal connections, not just personal ones
- separation
Being apart from someone or something, with no ties between them
Grammar Patterns
ties + between + plural_noun
ties + with + noun
strong/close/family + ties
Usage Note
Very common in the plural form 'ties'. The singular 'tie' is used more for emotional attachment to a place than to a person.
Common Mistakes
4. A result in a contest where competitors end up with identical scores.
A result in a contest where competitors end up with identical scores.
The football match ended in a one–one tie after extra time.
collocation: end in a tie
If there is a tie after the final round, the two players will play a sudden-death hole.
Andrés broke the tie with a last-second basket and won the game for his team.
The election resulted in a tie, so the votes had to be counted again.
- break a tie
- end in a tie
- tie for first place
- tie score
- tie game
Grammar Patterns
end in a tie
break a tie
tie + for + position
Usage Note
In British English, 'draw' is more common for football and some other sports. 'Tie' is preferred in American English and in contexts like competitions, votes, and golf.
Common Mistakes
5. A curved symbol used in printed music to join two notes of matching pitch, showi
A curved symbol used in printed music to join two notes of matching pitch, showing the player to hold the tone for the total length covered by both notes together.
The music teacher showed the class how to read a tie connecting two half notes.
When you see a tie in the sheet music, hold the key down for the combined value of both notes.
usage: tie vs slur — same pitch vs different pitches
Élise played the tied notes smoothly without lifting her fingers from the piano keys.
The choir director explained that the tie connects two notes of the same pitch into one longer sound.
- tied note
- tie sign
- tie symbol
- tied together
- bind
An older term for the same musical notation, now less common
Grammar Patterns
tie + between + notes
tie + connecting + notes
Usage Note
Do not confuse a 'tie' with a 'slur'. A tie connects two notes of the same pitch to make one longer note. A slur connects notes of different pitches and tells the musician to play them smoothly.
tie up
phrasal verbTo fasten something firmly by wrapping string or rope around it; also, to make someone very busy so they cannot do other things.
Christopher tied up the parcels with brown string before taking them to the post office.
I cannot join you for lunch — I am completely tied up in meetings until four o'clock.
tie in with
phrasal verbTo be consistent with or connected to something else; to match or fit together.
The witness's story does not tie in with the security camera footage from that night.
Our marketing campaign will tie in with the launch of the new product next month.
tie down
phrasal verbTo restrict someone's freedom; to commit someone to a particular arrangement or responsibility.
Imran does not want to get married yet because he is not ready to be tied down.
Taking care of the garden ties her down to the house most weekends during the summer.
tie the knot
idiomTo get married.
Nikos and Élise are planning to tie the knot next summer on a beach in Greece.
After dating for six years, my sister finally decided to tie the knot.
Someone is unable to act freely or change a situation because of rules, promises, or circumstances.
My hands are tied — the company policy does not allow refunds after thirty days.
I am sorry I cannot help you move the deadline, but my hands are tied by the contract.
tie one on
idiomTo become drunk by drinking a large amount of alcohol. (Informal, chiefly American.)
The team tied one on after winning the championship for the first time in twenty years.
tie — verb
1. To close or hold things together by wrapping cord, wire, or similar material aro
To close or hold things together by wrapping cord, wire, or similar material around them and then fastening the ends securely to each other.
Noa knelt down and tied her shoelaces before running onto the field.
Theo tied the rope around the tree trunk to keep the tent from blowing away.
transitive: tie + object + around/with
Can you help me tie this ribbon into a neat bow for the gift box.
The apron ties at the back with two long cotton strings.
intransitive use: 'the apron ties at the back'
Yasmin tied her hair back with a simple black band before starting work.
- tie a knot
- tie a bow
- tie shoelaces
- tie hair back
- tie tightly
- tie together
Grammar Patterns
tie + object + adverb/preposition
tie + object + to + object
tie (intransitive: how something closes)
Usage Note
When the object is a knot or bow, 'tie' is still the correct verb ('tie a knot', 'tie a bow'). For openings that close with their own attached ties (aprons, robes, shoes), the intransitive pattern '[item] ties [location]' is common.
Common Mistakes
2. To be closely linked or related to someone or something; to create or show a rel
To be closely linked or related to someone or something; to create or show a relationship between two or more things.
The recent jump in sales at Kenji’s bakery is closely tied to the new social media advertising campaign.
passive: be tied to [something]
DNA from a coffee cup tied Tendai to the bank robbery on Maple Street.
Quan's job as a translator ties him closely to the international community in the city.
Arjun's love for photography is deeply tied to the afternoons he spent in his grandfather's darkroom.
- closely tied
- tied to
- tied together
- tied in with
Grammar Patterns
be tied to + noun
tie + object + to + object
tie + object + together
tie + object + in with + noun
Usage Note
Very common in the passive voice ('be tied to'). The subject is often an abstract noun (price, success, happiness, outcome) and the pattern 'tie A to B' implies a causal or logical link.
Common Mistakes
3. To end a match or contest with a score equal to that of an opposing player or si
To end a match or contest with a score equal to that of an opposing player or side.
The two teams tied for first place in the national championship.
tie for [position]
Noa tied with Andrés in the chess tournament after a long match.
If the score is still tied after extra time, the match goes to a penalty shootout.
passive: be tied
Japan tied the score in the final minute of the game with a brilliant goal.
- tie for first
- tie the score
- tied game
- tied match
- tie with
Grammar Patterns
tie with + opponent
tie for + position
be tied (passive)
tie + the score
Usage Note
Can be used both intransitively ('the teams tied') and transitively ('they tied the score'). The phrase 'tie for [position]' is very common in competition contexts such as exams, tournaments, and awards.
Common Mistakes
4. To join two notes of the same pitch with a curved mark so that they are played a
To join two notes of the same pitch with a curved mark so that they are played as a single long note whose duration equals the combined time of both notes.
In the second measure, the composer tied the quarter note to the eighth note.
transitive: tie + note + to + note
The pianist knew exactly which notes to tie and which to play as separate, distinct sounds.
During piano practice, Élise focused on the part where half notes are tied across the bar to sustain the melody.
To perform the piece accurately, the violinist marked every group of tied notes in red pencil.
- tied notes
- tie to
- written with a tie
Grammar Patterns
tie + note + to + note
tied note
Usage Note
This is a technical term in music notation. The curved line is also called a 'tie'. Do not confuse this verb with 'slur', which connects different pitches and means play smoothly.
5. To stop someone from acting as they wish by placing them under a fixed obligatio
To stop someone from acting as they wish by placing them under a fixed obligation or within a fixed situation.
Her job at the hospital ties her to the building for twelve hours a day.
tie + to + place/time
Imran felt tied down by the strict rules at his boarding school.
The five-year contract ties the Tanaka electronics company to a single battery supplier, locking it into that deal until 2029.
Raising three young children ties Nala to the house most of the day.
- tied to
- tied down
- tied by
- feel tied
Grammar Patterns
be tied to + noun (place/obligation)
tie + object + down
tie + object + to + noun
Usage Note
Often used with the particle 'down' ('tie down') to emphasise restriction. The passive 'be tied to' is very common when describing an obligation or constraint that feels inescapable.
Common Mistakes
tie down
phrasal verbTo restrict someone's freedom or keep them from moving.
Having a baby tied her down to the house.
Don't let a job tie you down too much.
tie in
phrasal verbTo connect or be consistent with something else.
His story doesn't tie in with the facts.
How does this evidence tie in with the case?
tie off
phrasal verbTo close or secure something by tying a knot.
The nurse tied off the suture carefully.
Tie off the end of the rope to prevent fraying.
tie up
phrasal verbTo fasten or secure something with rope or string.
He tied up the boat at the dock.
Tie up the garbage bag before taking it out.
tie someone’s hands
idiomTo prevent someone from acting freely or making their own decisions, usually because of rules or official limitations.
The new privacy law ties the hands of investigators who used to share data freely.
My manager wants to offer you a better deal, but the company budget ties her hands.
To be too dependent on someone and controlled by them.
Maya is still tied to her mother's apron strings at age thirty.
Why does Brian let his boss tie him to her apron strings?
To tie someone's hands and feet so they cannot move.
The kidnappers tied the guard hand and foot with rope.
Did the police bind the suspect hand and foot?
have your hands tied
idiomTo be unable to act freely because of rules or promises.
Sara wanted to help but her hands were tied by company policy.
Why do you have your hands tied in this situation?
To become very confused or make someone very confused.
Diego tied himself in knots trying to solve the puzzle.
The complicated instructions tied the students in knots.
tie the knot
idiomTo get married.
Aiden and Emma plan to tie the knot next June.
When did your parents tie the knot?
tie one on
idiomTo drink a lot of alcohol and become very drunk.
After the exam, Min tied one on at the bar.
Did Brian really tie one on at the party last night?
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/2
These four verbs all describe putting things into relationship with each other, but they differ in closeness and formality. 'Connect' is the broadest and most neutral — you can connect two wires, two ideas, or two people, with no special force (‘The bridge connects the two islands’). 'Link' is similar but often implies a chain-like series: events are linked in a sequence, or computer files are hyperlinked. 'Tie' (sense 2) suggests a tighter, more dependent bond: if your happiness is tied to a person, separating from them would reduce it. 'Associate' is the most mental: you associate a smell with a childhood memory, or associate a brand with quality; it does not imply a physical or causal tie. 'Bind' is the strongest — it suggests an obligation or forced union that is hard to break (‘Bound by a promise’). Choose 'tie' when the connection feels reciprocal and consequential, 'link' when it is sequential or technical, and 'associate' when it is in the mind.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'tie' comes from Old English 'tīgan' or 'tēgan', meaning 'to fasten or bind'. This traces back to Proto-Germanic '*taugijanan' (to pull, stretch). The noun sense 'necktie' appeared in the early 1800s, originally referring to the way a cravat or neckcloth was tied. The sporting sense of 'equal score' developed in the late 19th century, from the idea of scores being 'drawn together' or tied. The musical notation sense followed in the 18th century, describing how two notes are bound into one.