One can bind a book or ropes around a villain. One can bind rubber bands around playing cards or two parties together in a legal contract. But if they did this yesterday, how do you write that verb? What is the past tense of “bind”?
Easy? Maybe. But let’s just double-check what you know.
“To bind” (present tense) has a few definitions, whether we’re talking physical bindings (as in ropes, rubber bands, or book pages) or emotional bindings (hello, love connections… and guilt … and fear… and so many others). But, in short, let’s define the verb “bind” as something that is secured by tying or fastening in some way, as well as by legal authority, by agreement or obligation. There’s also a connection we could make with constipation, but we’ll skip over that for now.
Logically, maybe you want to say the past tense of “bind” is “binded,” but if that was your thought, you’d be wrong.
Remember:
The past tense of the verb “bind” is “bound.”
If it makes it easier, think about it along the lines of “find” and “found” or “wind” and “wound.”
What’s up with this weird verb form? Well, it all stems back to the fact that “bind” is an incredibly old word. In fact, it’s been used in some form of English since before the 12th century. The Old English form was bindan, and if you really want to dig into word history, you can go back to the Old High German word, bintan, and even the Sanskrit word, badhnāti, which means “he ties.”
And old words sometimes love holding onto old verb forms.
However, that’s not the end of the discussion, because there’s also a different present-tense verb “to bound.” Oh yeah, let’s make things complicated, English language. Again. Thanks.
The verb “to bound,” which becomes “bounded” in the past tense, means to move forward by leaping or bouncing. So, for example, if you are really excited about a new book, you might bound forward to have it in your hands as soon as possible. But if you did this movement yesterday, maybe you bounded up the bookshop’s steps.
Feeling overwhelmed? I hope not. This wild English language binds us all together on our journey to speak and write as powerfully as possible.
And if you ever feel like you’re in a bind when it comes to the word “bind,” hopefully this makes you feel less tied up in knots. Or rubber bands for that matter.
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