attachment

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The act of attaching or the condition of being attached.
2. n. Something, such as a tie, band, or fastener, that attaches one thing to another.
3. n. A bond, as of affection or loyalty; fond regard.
4. n. A supplementary part; an accessory: bought a vacuum cleaner with several attachments. See Synonyms at appendage.
5. n. A supplementary document that is attached to a primary document: stapled two attachments to the memorandum.
6. n. Law Legal seizure of property or a person.
7. n. Law The writ ordering such a seizure.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of attaching; specifically, in law, a taking of the person, goods, or estate by a writ or precept in a civil action, to secure a debt or demand, or to compel to appear in court, or to punish for contempt. In American usage, attachment, when used in reference to property, means the taking of the defendant's property into custody by the law, by a summary process from a court, in advance of the trial of the merits of the case, as security for the payment of any judgment that may be recovered. The grounds of granting it are usually evidence of fraud or fraudulent disposal of property, or apprehension of absconding, etc. When used in reference to the person, it means the taking of the person into custody to answer to a charge of contempt of court. Foreign attachment is the taking, from the hands or control of a third person within the jurisdiction, of the money or goods or rights of action of a debtor who is not within the jurisdiction. Any person who has goods or effects of a debtor is considered in law as the agent, attorney, factor, or trustee of the debtor; and an attachment served on such person binds the property in his hands to respond to the judgment against the debtor. The process of foreign attachment has existed from time immemorial in London, Bristol, Exeter, Lancaster, and some other towns in England, and by the Common Law Procedure Act of 1854 has been made general. It is also sometimes known as garnishment, in Scotland as arrestment, and in New England as trustee process.
2. n. The writ or process directing the person or estate of a person to be taken, for the purposes above stated.
3. n. The act or state of being attached, fastened on, or connected.
4. n. Close adherence or affection; regard; any passion or affection that binds a person to another person or to a thing.
5. n. That which attaches one thing to another, or a person to an object: as, the attachments of a muscle; the attachments of home.
6. n. That which is attached to a principal object; an adjunct: as, the æolian attachment to the piano; an attachment to a sewing-machine.

Wiktionary

1. n. A strong bonding towards or with.
2. n. A dependence, especially a strong one.
3. n. A device attached to a piece of equipment or a tool.
4. n. The process or means by which something is physically attached.
5. n. computing A file sent along with an email.
6. n. law Taking a person's property to satisfy a court-ordered debt.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act attaching, or state of being attached; close adherence or affection; fidelity; regard; an� passion of affection that binds a person.
2. n. That by which one thing is attached to another; connection.
3. n. Something attached; some adjunct attached to an instrument, machine, or other object.
4. n. A seizure or taking into custody by virtue of a legal process.
5. n. The writ or percept commanding such seizure or taking.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a feeling of affection for a person or an institution
2. n. a connection that fastens things together
3. n. a writ authorizing the seizure of property that may be needed for the payment of a judgment in a judicial proceeding
4. n. the act of attaching or affixing something
5. n. faithful support for a cause or political party or religion
6. n. a supplementary part or accessory
7. n. the act of fastening things together