band

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A thin strip of flexible material used to encircle and bind one object or to hold a number of objects together: a metal band around the bale of cotton.
2. n. A strip or stripe that contrasts with something else in color, texture, or material.
3. n. A narrow strip of fabric used to trim, finish, or reinforce articles of clothing.
4. n. Something that constrains or binds morally or legally: the bands of marriage and family.
5. n. A simple ungrooved ring, especially a wedding ring.
6. n. A neckband or collar.
7. n. The two strips hanging from the front of a collar as part of the dress of certain clerics, scholars, and lawyers.
8. n. A high collar popular in the 16th and 17th centuries.
9. n. Biology A chromatically, structurally, or functionally differentiated strip or stripe in or on an organism.
10. n. Anatomy A cordlike tissue that connects or holds structures together.
11. n. Physics A specific range of wavelengths or frequencies of electromagnetic radiation.
12. n. Physics A range of very closely spaced electron energy levels in solids, the distribution and nature of which determine the electrical properties of a material.
13. n. Any of the distinct grooves on a long-playing phonograph record that contains an individual selection or a separate section of a whole.
14. n. A cord or strip across the back of a book to which the sheets or quires are attached.
15. v. To tie, bind, or encircle with or as if with a band.
16. v. To mark or identify with or as if with a band: a program to band migrating birds.
17. n. A group of people: a band of outlaws.
18. n. A group of animals.
19. n. Anthropology A unit of social organization especially among hunter-gatherers, consisting of a usually small number of families living together cooperatively.
20. n. Canadian An aboriginal group officially recognized as an organized unit by the Canadian government. See Usage Note at First Nation.
21. n. A group of musicians who perform as an ensemble.
22. v. To assemble or unite in a group.
23. v. To form a group; unite: banded together for protection.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Anything which binds the person or the limbs, and serves to restrain or to deprive of liberty; a shackle, manacle, or fetter: usually in the plural.
2. n. That by which loose things of the same or a similar kind are bound together. Specifically— The tie of straw used in binding sheaves of wheat or other grain.
3. n. That which connects; a connecting piece, or means of connection; that which connects or unites the several parts of a complex thing.
4. n. Specifically— In logic, the copula.
5. n. The metallic sleeve which binds the barrel and stock of a musket together.
6. n. One of two pieces of iron fastened to the bows of a saddle to keep them in place.
7. n. A leaden came. See came.
8. n. A hyphen.
9. n. A binding or uniting power or influence: as, a band of union.
10. n. An obligation imposing reciprocal, legal, or moral duties: as, the nuptial bands.
11. n. A binding promise or agreement; a bond or security given.
12. n. A surety; a bondsman.
13. n. A covenant or league.
14. n. A flat strip of any material, but especially of a flexible material, used to bind round anything; a fillet: as, a rubber band; a band around the head; a hat-band.
15. n. Anything resembling a band in form or function. A bandage; specifically, a swaddling-band.
16. n. The form of collar commonly worn by men and women in the seventeenth century in western Europe. It was originally starched, and fixed in a half-erect position, nearly like the ruff, which it superseded, and was often of lace and of immense size. Afterward it was turned down over the shoulders, and called a falling-band.
17. n. The linen ornament worn about the neck, with the ends hanging down in front, by certain Protestant clergymen. It was prescribed by Queen Elizabeth as a part of the every-day dress of Anglican ecclesiastics.
18. n. In mining, a layer of rock interstratified with the coal; sometimes, as in Cumberland, England, the coal itself.
19. n. A company of persons, especially a body of armed men; a company of soldiers, or of persons united for any purpose.
20. n. In music, a company of musicians playing various instruments in combination, in the manner of an orchestra: most frequently applied to a company of musicians playing such instruments as may be used in marching.
21. n. A collection of animals of any kind, as a drove of cattle or horses, or a flock of sheep.
22. To unite in a troop, company, or confederacy: generally reflexive.
23. To unite; associate; confederate for some common purpose.
24. n. A ridge of a hill: commonly applied in the English lake district to a long ridge-like hill of minor height, or to a long narrow sloping offshoot from a higher hill or mountain.
25. n. An obsolete or Scotch preterit of bind.
26. To interdict; banish.
27. Same as bandy.
28. n. A weight equal to about 2 ounces troy, in use in western Africa for weighing gold-dust.
29. n. In botany, the band-like space between the two mericarps of a cremocarp.

Wiktionary

1. n. A strip of material wrapped around things to hold them together.
2. n. A strip along the spine of a book where the pages are attached.
3. n. physics A part of radio spectrum.
4. n. physics A group of energy levels in a solid state material. Valence band, conduction band.
5. v. To fasten together with a band.
6. v. ornithology To fasten an identifying band around (a bird's) leg.
7. n. A group of musicians, especially (a) wind and percussion players, or (b) rock musicians.
8. n. A type of orchestra originally playing janissary music; i.e. marching band.
9. n. A group of people loosely united for a common purpose (a band of thieves).
10. n. anthropology A small group of people living in a simple society.
11. n. Canada A group of aboriginals that has official recognition as an organized unit by the federal government of Canada.
12. v. intransitive To group together for a common purpose.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A fillet, strap, or any narrow ligament with which a thing is encircled, or fastened, or by which a number of things are tied, bound together, or confined; a fetter.
2. n. A continuous tablet, stripe, or series of ornaments, as of carved foliage, of color, or of brickwork, etc.
3. n. In Gothic architecture, the molding, or suite of moldings, which encircles the pillars and small shafts.
4. n. That which serves as the means of union or connection between persons; a tie.
5. n. A linen collar or ruff worn in the 16th and 17th centuries.
6. n. Two strips of linen hanging from the neck in front as part of a clerical, legal, or academic dress.
7. n. A narrow strip of cloth or other material on any article of dress, to bind, strengthen, ornament, or complete it.
8. n. A company of persons united in any common design, especially a body of armed men.
9. n. A number of musicians who play together upon portable musical instruments, especially those making a loud sound, as certain wind instruments (trumpets, clarinets, etc.), and drums, or cymbals.
10. n. (Bot.) A space between elevated lines or ribs, as of the fruits of umbelliferous plants.
11. n. (Zoöl.) A stripe, streak, or other mark transverse to the axis of the body.
12. n. (Mech.) A belt or strap.
13. n. obsolete A bond.
14. n. obsolete Pledge; security.
15. v. To bind or tie with a band.
16. v. To mark with a band.
17. v. To unite in a troop, company, or confederacy.
18. v. To confederate for some common purpose; to unite; to conspire together.
19. v. obsolete To bandy; to drive away.
20. obsolete imp. of bind.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a cord-like tissue connecting two larger parts of an anatomical structure
2. n. a thin flat strip or loop of flexible material that goes around or over something else, typically to hold it together or as a decoration
3. n. a stripe or stripes of contrasting color
4. n. a group of musicians playing popular music for dancing
5. n. a driving belt in machinery
6. n. instrumentalists not including string players
7. n. a thin flat strip of flexible material that is worn around the body or one of the limbs (especially to decorate the body)
8. n. a restraint put around something to hold it together
9. n. a strip of material attached to the leg of a bird to identify it (as in studies of bird migration)
10. n. a range of frequencies between two limits
11. v. attach a ring to the foot of, in order to identify
12. n. jewelry consisting of a circlet of precious metal (often set with jewels) worn on the finger
13. v. bind or tie together, as with a band
14. n. an adornment consisting of a strip of a contrasting color or material
15. n. an unofficial association of people or groups