From Middle English teye (“cord, chain”), from Old English tēag, tēah (“cord, chain”), from Proto-West Germanic *taugu, from Proto-Germanic *taugō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dewk-. Compare Danish tov, Icelandic taug.
Meanings
A knot; a fastening.
A knot of hair, as at the back of a wig.
A necktie (item of clothing consisting of a strip of cloth tied around the neck). See also bow tie, black tie.
A lace-up shoe.
Oxford ties; Derby ties
[…] the tip of her russet boot almost grazed that of his Oxford tie. 1919, Henry B[lake] Fuller, “Cope Makes a Sunday Afternoon Call”, in Bertram Cope’s Year: A Novel, Chicago, Ill.: Ralph Fletcher Seymour, The Alderbrink Press, →OCLC, page 24:
A twist tie, a piece of wire embedded in paper, strip of plastic with ratchets, or similar object which is wound around something and tightened.
A connection between people or groups of people, especially a strong connection.
In most states the court view is that if a person rents (and particularly if it is only a room), does not have a car, does not live within a nuclear family unit, is not established in full-time employment, then that person is considered to be without ties and an itinerant and therefore ought not to be granted bail. 1983 December 31, Gary Phillips, “Gays in Gaol [Jail]: Who Cares”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 24, page 15:
the sacred ties of friendship or of duty
The film ends with the colorful deaths of Nico's enemies after he thwarts their attempts to assassinate a U.S. Senator investigating ties between drug dealers and the CIA. 2004, Peter Bondanella, chapter 4, in Hollywood Italians: Dagos, Palookas, Romeos, Wise Guys, and Sopranos, pages 231–232:
Occasions that reinforce the ties of kindred.
the ties of allegiance; the ties that bind
No distance breaks the tie of blood. 1866, Charlotte Mary Yonge, The Prince and the Page:
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te thanked Canada on Tuesday for its support during recent Chinese military drills and praised the deepening of ties between the two sides, shortly ahead of a visit to China by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. 2026 January 13, Ben Blanchard, Fabian Hamacher, “Taiwan thanks Canada for its support ahead of prime minister's China trip”, in Sharon Singleton, editor, Reuters, sourced from Taipei (Reuters), archived from the original on 13 Jan 2026:
A structural member firmly holding two pieces together.
Ties work to maintain structural integrity in windstorms and earthquakes.
(US) A horizontal wooden or concrete structural member that supports and ties together rails.
The situation in which two or more participants in a competition are placed equally.
It's two outs in the bottom of the ninth, tie score.
The situation at the end of all innings of a match where both sides have the same total of runs (different from a draw).
(US) An equalizer, a run, goal, point, etc which causes participants in a competition to be placed equally or have the same score(s).
I thought José was still a point down. I thought he needed another takedown to tie and pull ahead, so I ordered José to let his man up. I looked up too late, realizing that José already scored a tie. By that point, the New Jersey champion got his ... 2010, Scott Glabb, A Saint in the City: Coaching At-risk Kids to Be Champions, Tate Publishing, →ISBN, page 146:
[…] game in the championships shouldering a vast disadvantage and was in due course defeated by Egyetértés, one of the newcomers in the first league. Eger, the other novice in the championships, also took off successfully scoring a tie with the Ruha ETO. 1971, Budapress News Service, Budapress Bulletin, volume 10, issues 27-52, page 8
(UK) A meeting between two players or teams in a competition.
The FA Cup third round tie between Liverpool and Cardiff was their first meeting in the competition since 1957.
A curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch denoting that they should be played as a single note with the combined length of both notes.
(phonetic, transcription) A curved line connecting two letters (⁀), used in the IPA to denote a coarticulation, as for example /d͡ʒ/.
Wikipedia: tie (typography)
One or more equal values or sets of equal values in the data set.
A bearing and distance between a lot corner or point and a benchmark or iron off site.
A connection between two vertices.
A tiewig.
[H]e ordered his boarders and apartments to be dished out for the occasion, spared no pains in adorning his own person, and in particular employed a whole hour in adjusting a voluminous tye, in which he proposed to make his appearance. 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC:
ru равный счёт (sports: tie score) · fr liaison de prolongation (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · ru связь (strong connection between people) · ko 동점 (sports: tie score) · da remis (sports: tie score) · is jafntefli (sports: tie score) · ca lligadura (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · it pareggio (sports: tie score) · eo egalvenko (sports: tie score) · pl więź (strong connection between people) · az heç-heçə (sports: tie score) · eu berdinketa (sports: tie score) · cmn 和局 (sports: tie score) · nn uavgjort resultat (sports: tie score) · es vínculo (strong connection between people) · fi yhdyskaari (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · pl łuk (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · it vincolo (strong connection between people) · it legame (strong connection between people) · ja 引き分け (sports: tie score) · es empatadera (sports: tie score) · is band (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · th สายสัมพันธ์ (strong connection between people) · bg връзка (strong connection between people) · ca lligam (strong connection between people) · ca empat (sports: tie score) · et viik (sports: tie score) · cs remíza (sports: tie score) · uk зв'язок (strong connection between people) · ru у́зы (strong connection between people) · sv bindebåge (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · az bağ (strong connection between people) · bg равен резултат (sports: tie score) · de Remis (sports: tie score) · fi tasapeli (sports: tie score) · es ligadura (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · be нічы́я (sports: tie score) · fr match nul (sports: tie score) · fi tasatulos (sports: tie score) · cmn 平局 (sports: tie score) · de Unentschieden (sports: tie score) · fr liaison de tenue (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · fi side (strong connection between people) · ko 무승부 (sports: tie score) · uk нічия́ (sports: tie score) · ka ფრე (sports: tie score) · sh nerešeno (sports: tie score) · es lazo (strong connection between people) · es traviesa (rungs of a train track) · cs pražec (rungs of a train track) · mi tūhono (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · es atadura (strong connection between people) · mi taunga (strong connection between people) · uk лі́га (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · eu adoste (sports: tie score) · pt empate (sports: tie score) · ru ли́га (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · fr égalité (sports: tie score) · bg лигатура (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · gl eliminatoria (sports: a meeting between two players or teams in a competition) · sv remi (sports: tie score) · ka ყაიმი (sports: tie score) · sv oavgjort resultat (sports: tie score) · ml സമനില (sports: tie score) · es polín (rungs of a train track) · af boog (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · rgn lighêr (sports: tie score) · es eliminatoria (sports: a meeting between two players or teams in a competition) · kea élu (strong connection between people) · ru ничья́ (sports: tie score) · es empate (sports: tie score) · pl remis (sports: tie score) · da bindebue (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · ar تَعَادُل (sports: tie score) · da bånd (strong connection between people) · fr remise (sports: tie score) · th ความสัมพันธ์ (strong connection between people) · es ligadura (curved line connecting two letters, used in the IPA) · nl boog (curved line connecting two notes of the same pitch, combining their lengths) · nl gelijke stand (sports: tie score)
From Middle English teien, teiȝen, from Old English tīġan, tīeġan, from Proto-West Germanic *taugijan, from Proto-Germanic *taugijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to tug, draw”). Cognate with Icelandic teygja.
Meanings
(transitive) To twist (a string, rope, or the like) around itself securely.
Tie this rope in a knot for me, please.
Tie the rope to this tree.
(transitive) To form (a knot or the like) in a string or the like.
Tie a knot in this rope for me, please.
(transitive) To attach or fasten (one thing to another) by string or the like.
In bond of virtuous love together tied. 1600, [Torquato Tasso], “(please specify |book=1 to 20)”, in Edward Fairefax [i.e., Edward Fairfax], transl., Godfrey of Bulloigne, or The Recouerie of Ierusalem. […], London: […] Ar[nold] Hatfield, for I[saac] Iaggard and M[atthew] Lownes, →OCLC:
Tie him to the tree.
(figuratively, sometimes, transitive) To secure (something) by string or the like.
Tie your shoes.
Not tied to rules of policy, you find / Revenge less sweet than a forgiving mind. 1660, [John] Dryden, Astraea Redux:
(ambitransitive) To have the same score or position as another in a competition or ordering.
They tied the game.
They tied for third place.
(US, transitive) To have the same score or position as (another) in a competition or ordering.
He tied me for third place.
To unite (musical notes) with a line or slur in the notation.
(US, colloquial, dated) To believe; to credit.
As the door slammed Pete turned to Hally, fuming. "Can you tie that? A little twopenny cold frightening him off." 1940, Woman's Home Companion, volume 67, numbers 1-4, page 134:
[…] It seems they have sort of betrothal teas — can you tie it?"
"Heavens!" said Mary […] 1929, Collier's, volume 84, page 56:
(transitive) In the Perl programming language, to extend (a variable) so that standard operations performed upon it invoke custom functionality instead.
So, a class for tying a hash to an ISAM implementation might provide an extra method to traverse a set of keys sequentially (the “S” of ISAM), since your typical DBM implementation can't do that. 2000, Larry Wall, Tom Christiansen, Jon Orwant, Programming Perl: 3rd Edition, page 814:
ba бәйләү (to attach or fasten with string) · ja 結ぶ (to attach or fasten with string) · uk зав'я́зувати (to attach or fasten with string) · tet futu (to attach or fasten with string) · hi छांदना (to attach or fasten with string) · be прывяза́ць (to attach or fasten with string) · rm liar (to attach or fasten with string) · fi sitoa (to attach or fasten with string) · so xidhid (to attach or fasten with string) · nds binnen (to attach or fasten with string) · es atar (to attach or fasten with string) · fur leâ (to attach or fasten with string) · xdq кабилгьа́на (to attach or fasten with string) · be прывя́зваць (to attach or fasten with string) · ba бәйҙәү (to attach or fasten with string) · gld сопсин- (to attach or fasten with string) · ota باغلامق (to attach or fasten with string) · cmn 打 (to attach or fasten with string) · ang tīeġan (to attach or fasten with string) · su beungkeut (to attach or fasten with string) · ro lega (to attach or fasten with string) · gl lear (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · enm binden (to attach or fasten with string) · ota ربط ایتمك (to attach or fasten with string) · pt atar (to attach or fasten with string) · pl wiązać (to attach or fasten with string) · su nalian (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · vec ligar (to attach or fasten with string) · uk прив'яза́ти (to attach or fasten with string) · bg привързвам (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · mn хүлэх (to attach or fasten with string) · da binde (to attach or fasten with string) · om hidhuu (to attach or fasten with string) · zea knoôpe (to attach or fasten with string) · or ବାନ୍ଧିବା (to attach or fasten with string) · es maniatar (to attach or fasten with string) · os бӕттын (to attach or fasten with string) · cs přivázat (to attach or fasten with string) · sv binda (to attach or fasten with string) · dlm liguor (to attach or fasten with string) · sw -funga (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · la ligo (to attach or fasten with string) · cmn 縛 /缚 (to attach or fasten with string) · izh sittoa (to attach or fasten with string) · yi בינדן (to attach or fasten with string) · it legare (to attach or fasten with string) · sc liare (to attach or fasten with string) · dsb wězaś (to attach or fasten with string) · vi cột (to attach or fasten with string) · he לקשור (to attach or fasten with string) · gl agulletar (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · ttj -siba (to attach or fasten with string) · fi solmia (to attach or fasten with string) · nl vastknopen (to attach or fasten with string) · es ligar (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · ang bindan (to attach or fasten with string) · vi trói (to attach or fasten with string) · wa ebridler (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · kk байлау (to attach or fasten with string) · my တုပ် (to attach or fasten with string) · ar أَسَرَ (to attach or fasten with string) · bg връзвам (to attach or fasten with string) · cu вѧсти (to attach or fasten with string) · xal боох (to attach or fasten with string) · sah баай (to attach or fasten with string) · la necto (to attach or fasten with string) · hu köt (to attach or fasten with string) · es ratear (to attach or fasten with string) · wa alaxhî (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · es ligar (to attach or fasten with string) · el δένω (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · wa loyî (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · ky буу (to attach or fasten with string) · tl gapusin (to attach or fasten with string) · th โยง (to attach or fasten with string) · sq lidh (to attach or fasten with string) · akl gapos (to attach or fasten with string) · grc δέω (to attach or fasten with string) · dlm liguar (to attach or fasten with string) · id mengikat (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · es anudar (to form a knot or the like in a string or the like) · be звя́зваць (to attach or fasten with string) · mk сврзе (to attach or fasten with string) · gl atar (to attach or fasten with string) · jv rangkèt (to attach or fasten with string) · es amarrar (to attach or fasten with string) · my ချည် (to attach or fasten with string) · ko 묶다 (to attach or fasten with string) · es apersogar (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · isd xappat (to attach or fasten with string) · mi hōtiki (to attach or fasten with string) · ar رَبَطَ (to attach or fasten with string) · ja 縛る (to attach or fasten with string) · id ikat (to attach or fasten with string) · rap haha'u (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · pl zawiązać (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · enm teyen (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · mi hōtiki (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · scn ligari (to attach or fasten with string) · lmo ligà (to attach or fasten with string) · ckb بەندکردن (to attach or fasten with string) · ru привяза́ть (to attach or fasten with string) · lt rišti (to attach or fasten with string) · gl acordoar (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · wa elaxhî (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · ca fermar (to attach or fasten with string) · gl amalloar (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · uli hoahoayiu (to attach or fasten with string) · gl amarrar (to attach or fasten with string) · ms ikat (to attach or fasten with string) · el δένω (to attach or fasten with string) · ttj -boha (to attach or fasten with string) · rap haha'u (to attach or fasten with string) · msk gapos (to attach or fasten with string) · vec łigar (to attach or fasten with string) · ota باغلامق (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · nl binden (to attach or fasten with string) · enm knytten (to attach or fasten with string) · ru связа́ть (to attach or fasten with string) · hi बांधना (to attach or fasten with string) · ceb hikot (to attach or fasten with string) · tet kesi (to attach or fasten with string) · uk зв'я́зувати (to attach or fasten with string) · tl gapos (to attach or fasten with string) · pox ai̯vązĕ (to attach or fasten with string) · akk rakāsum (to attach or fasten with string) · rup leg (to attach or fasten with string) · sc ligare (to attach or fasten with string) · as বন্ধা (to attach or fasten with string) · ca ennuar (to attach or fasten with string) · cs zavázat (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · as বান্ধা (to attach or fasten with string) · es amarrar (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · sc liai (to attach or fasten with string) · ca lligar (to attach or fasten with string) · fr lier (to attach or fasten with string) · pl zawiązywać (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · pl zawiązać (to attach or fasten with string) · fi solmia (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · es ratiar (to attach or fasten with string) · fa بستن (to attach or fasten with string) · sc ligai (to attach or fasten with string) · cmn 綁 /绑 (to attach or fasten with string) · ckb بەستین (to attach or fasten with string) · uk прив'я́зувати (to attach or fasten with string) · it ammagliare (to attach or fasten with string) · es atar (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · es añudar (to form a knot or the like in a string or the like) · grc δέω (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · uk зв'яза́ти (to attach or fasten with string) · ru свя́зывать (to attach or fasten with string) · be звяза́ць (to attach or fasten with string) · ru привя́зывать (to attach or fasten with string) · nci ilpia (to attach or fasten with string) · mk сврзува (to attach or fasten with string) · de binden (to attach or fasten with string) · ary رْبط (to attach or fasten with string) · it magliare (to attach or fasten with string) · ang cnyttan (to attach or fasten with string) · am ቋጠሮ (to form a knot or the like in a string or the like) · gl atar (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · qu watay (to attach or fasten with string) · lo ຈອງ (to attach or fasten with string) · mt rabat (to attach or fasten with string) · ace ikat (to attach or fasten with string) · qu watai (to attach or fasten with string) · mba hikut (to attach or fasten with string) · scn lijari (to attach or fasten with string) · gl amarrar (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · tr bağlamak (to attach or fasten with string) · km ចង (to attach or fasten with string) · mn уях (to attach or fasten with string) · sq ngërthej (to attach or fasten with string) · sw -funga (to attach or fasten with string) · es asegurar (to secure something by tying a string or the like) · dlm ligur (to attach or fasten with string) · nl knopen (to attach or fasten with string) · oc ligar (to attach or fasten with string) · scn liari (to attach or fasten with string) · rgn lighêr (to attach or fasten with string) · wa loyî (to attach or fasten with string) · pt amarrar (to attach or fasten with string) · nl strikken (to attach or fasten with string) · eu lotu (to attach or fasten with string) · syl ꠛꠣꠘ꠆ꠗꠣ (to attach or fasten with string) · hy կապել (to attach or fasten with string)