tie sb up
— phrasal verb with tie uk/taɪ/us/taɪ/verb present participle tying, past tense and past participle tied
(FASTENED)
B2 to make a person unable to move by tying a rope or something similar around their body or part of their body:
The burglars had tied him up (to the bed).
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Fastening and tying
- attach
- be locked together idiom
- board sth up
- bolt
- bound
- bow 1
- buckle
- buckle up
- hobble
- ligature
- mount
- nail
- put sth up
- reef knot
- rivet
- rope
- tie
- truss
- tying
- yoke
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(NOT AVAILABLE)
When someone is tied up, they are busy or prevented from doing something, such as speaking to someone or going somewhere, because of being involved in another event or activity:
I'm afraid we can't meet till Wednesday - I'm tied up on Monday and Tuesday.
Mrs Moran is tied up in a meeting at the moment, but I'll ask her to call you later.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Busy and active
- a hive of activity/industry idiom
- arena
- be (as) busy as a bee idiom
- be all go idiom
- be at work idiom
- be back in harness idiom
- buzz
- foot
- girlie swot
- hard-working
- harness
- have (got) sth on
- have sth on your plate idiom
- hurly-burly
- knee-deep
- mad
- spread
- spurt
- stimulating
- well away idiom
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