 |
Sense: 1-2, 4-5
| Date: | 1300-1400 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | bodne, from Medieval Latin bodina |
| Date: | 1500-1600 |
| Language: | Old French |
| Origin: | bond, from bondir; BOUND32 |
| |||||||||
bound4
1
bounds
[plural]a) the limits of what is possible or acceptable
within the bounds of something 
We are here to make sure that the police operate within the bounds of the law.
We are here to make sure that the police operate within the bounds of the law. be/go beyond the bounds of credibility/reason/decency etc The humor in the movie sometimes goes beyond the bounds of good taste.
The humor in the movie sometimes goes beyond the bounds of good taste. be within/beyond the bounds of possibility (=be possible/not possible) It was not beyond the bounds of possibility that they could meet again.
It was not beyond the bounds of possibility that they could meet again.b) old-fashioned the edges of a town, city etc
2 if a place is out of bounds, you are not allowed to go there [= off-limits American English]
out of bounds
out of bounds to/for The path by the railway line is officially out of bounds to both cyclists and walkers.
The path by the railway line is officially out of bounds to both cyclists and walkers.3 if someone or something increases, develops etc by leaps and bounds, they increase etc very quickly : Julie's reading is improving in leaps and bounds.
by leaps and bounds/in leaps and bounds
British EnglishJulie's reading is improving in leaps and bounds.4 if someone's honesty, kindness etc knows no bounds, they are extremely honest etc
know no bounds
formal5 inside or outside the legal playing area in a sport such as American football or basketball
in bounds/out of bounds
DS6 [countable] a long or high jump made with a lot of energy
