Band

Pronunciation

• IPA: /bænd/
• Rhymes: -ænd

From Middle English band (also bond), from Old English beand, bænd, bend ("bond, chain, fetter, band, ribbon, ornament, chaplet, crown"), from Proto-Germanic *bandą, *bandiz ("band, fetter"), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- ("to tie, bind"). Middle English band reinforced by Old French bande. Cognate with Dutch band, German Band, Danish bånd, Swedish band, Icelandic bandur ("band"). Related to bond, bind, bend.

Full definition of band

Noun

1. A strip of material used for strengthening or coupling.
1. A strip of material wrapped around things to hold them together.
• 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 10, The Jones man was looking at her hard. Now he reached into the hatch of his vest and fetched out a couple of cigars, everlasting big ones, with gilt bands on them.
2. A narrow strip of cloth or other material on clothing, to bind, strengthen, or ornament it.
• 1843, Thomas Hood, The Song of the Shirtband and gusset and seam
3. A strip along the spine of a book where the pages are attached.
4. A belt or strap that is part of a machine.
5. (architecture) A strip of decoration.
1. A continuous tablet, stripe, or series of ornaments, as of carved foliage, of colour, or of brickwork.
2. In Gothic architecture, the moulding, or suite of mouldings, which encircles the pillars and small shafts.
6. That which serves as the means of union or connection between persons; a tie.
• William Shakespeare (1564-1616)to join in Hymen's bands
7. A linen collar or ruff worn in the 16th and 17th centuries.
8. (in the plural) Two strips of linen hanging from the neck in front as part of a clerical, legal, or academic dress.
9. (physics) A part of the radio spectrum.
10. (physics) A group of energy levels in a solid state material.
    valence band;  conduction band
11. (obsolete) A bond.
• William Shakespeare (1564-1616)thy oath and band
12. (obsolete) Pledge; security.
13. (especially American English) A ring, such as a wedding ring (wedding band), or a ring put on a bird's leg to identify it.

Derived terms

Verb

1. To fasten with a band.
2. (ornithology) To fasten an identifying band around the leg of (a bird).

From Middle English band, from Old French bande, from Old Provencal banda ("regiment of troops"), probably from Proto-Germanic *bandī or Gothic, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- ("to tie, bind").

Noun

1. A group of musicians, especially (a) wind and percussion players, or (b) rock musicians.
2. A type of orchestra originally playing janissary music; i.e. marching band.
3. A group of people loosely united for a common purpose a band of thieves.
• 1900, L. Frank Baum , The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Chapter 23"My third command to the Winged Monkeys," said Glinda, "shall be to carry you to your forest. Then, having used up the powers of the Golden Cap, I shall give it to the King of the Monkeys, that he and his band may thereafter be free for evermore."
4. (anthropology) A small group of people living in a simple society.
• 1883, Howard Pyle, The Merry Adventures of Robin HoodBut in the meantime Robin Hood and his band lived quietly in Sherwood Forest, without showing their faces abroad, for Robin knew that it would not be wise for him to be seen in the neighborhood of Nottingham, those in authority being very wroth with him.
5. (Canada) A group of aboriginals that has official recognition as an organized unit by the federal government of Canada.

Derived terms

Descendants

• German:

Verb

1. (intransitive) To group together for a common purpose; to confederate.
• Bible, Acts xxiii. 12Certain of the Jews banded together.

Derived terms

• band together