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stitution; settled by arbitrary appointment; said of laws. In laws, that which is natural bindeth universally; that which is positive, not so. Hooker.

A bond in which the obligor, in consideration of having received a certain sum of money, binds himself to pay a larger sum, on unusual interest, on the death of some specified individual from whom he has expectations. Bouvier.

To engage by previous contract; to bind or attach previously; to preoccupy. But he was preëngaged by former ties. Dryden.

. With power imperial, curbs the struggling winds, And sounding tempests in dark prisons binds. Dryden.

e life by means of fire stolen from heaven. Jupiter, being angry at this, sent Mercury to bind Prometheus to Mount Caucasus, where a vulture preyed upon his liver.

In general, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it to do, or to forbear to do, a specified act; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act. For if the inheritance…

Containing a promise or binding declaration of something to be done or forborne. Promissory note (Law), a written promise to pay to some person named, and at a time specified therein, or on demand, or at sight, a certain sum of money, absolutely and at all events; -- frequently called a note of hand. Kent. Byles. Story…

ior birth or station; high rank; elevated character. "Persons of quality." Bacon. Quality binding, a kind of worsted tape used in Scotland for binding carpets, and the like. The quality, those of high rank or station, as distinguished from the masses, or common people; the nobility; the gentry. I shall appear at the ma…

Mangle. n. -- Rack block. (Naut.) See def. 1 (f), above. -- Rack lashing, a lashing or binding where the rope is tightened, and held tight by the use of a small stick of wood twisted around. -- Rack rail (Railroads), a toothed rack, laid as a rail, to afford a hold for teeth on the driving wheel of locomotive for c…

Made of the leather called roan; as, roan binding. Roan antelope (Zoöl.), a very large South African antelope (Hippotragus equinus). It has long sharp horns and a stiff bright brown mane. Called also mahnya, equine antelope, and bastard gemsbok.

To bind or involve by winding, as in a bandage; to inwrap; -- often with up; as, to roll up a parcel.

To bind, fasten, or tie with a rope or cord; as, to rope a bale of goods. Hence: --

A style of bookbinding in which the back is plain leather, the sides paper or cloth, the top gilt-edged, but the front and bottom left uncut.

odor from being impregnated with an oil obtained from birch bark. It is much used in bookbinding, on account of its not being subject to mold, and being proof against insects. -- Russia matting, matting manufactured in Russia from the inner bark of the linden (Tilia Europæa).

To bind by an oath. [Obs.] Laud.

ining to a sacrament or the sacraments; of the nature of a sacrament; sacredly or solemny binding; as, sacramental rites or elements.

To render heavy or cohesive. [Obs.] Marl is binding, and saddening of land is the great prejudice it doth to clay lands. Mortimer.

Sacredness; solemnity; inviolability; religious binding force; as, the sanctity of an oath.

A species of bindweed or Convolvulus (C. Scammonia).

(Bot.) A kind of bindweed (Convolvulus Soldanella) growing on the seacoast of Europe.