Tie Up (Verb)
Meaning 1
Restrain from moving or operating normally; "Traffic is tied up for miles around the bridge where the accident occurred".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- Strong winds have tied up the ferry service until the weather improves.
- The police operation has tied up several roads in the city, causing congestion.
- A mechanical issue has tied up the entire production line until it can be repaired.
- The severe storm has tied up all flights at the airport, with no departures expected until tomorrow.
- The roadworks have tied up traffic for miles, with drivers experiencing long delays.
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Related Words
Meaning 2
Finish the last row.
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The construction team will tie up the last details of the project by the end of the month.
- She needs to tie up the last few stitches on her knitting project before giving it as a gift.
- The crew will tie up the loose ends and complete the repairs by tonight.
- The writer is trying to tie up the plot threads and create a satisfying conclusion to the novel.
- The team will wrap up the current phase and tie up any loose ends before moving on to the next stage of the project.
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Meaning 3
Secure in or as if in a berth or dock; "tie up the boat".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The captain gave the order to tie up the yacht in the crowded marina for the night.
- Tie up the sailboat to the dock while I go and pay for our mooring fees.
- She jumped onto the dock to help them tie up the old ferry.
- The harbor master came to ensure the large tanker was properly tied up alongside the dock.
- After the fishing trip, the fishermen carefully tied up their boat in its usual berth.
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Meaning 4
Secure with or as if with ropes; "tie down the prisoners"; "tie up the old newspapers and bring them to the recycling shed".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- Several large crates of explosives had been left on the dock so the personnel had to tie them up and secure them properly.
- She grabbed all the stray wires behind the counter and used cable ties to tie up the mess.
- It is essential to tie up loose ends on a project, especially before any new projects begin.
- During that hurricane the roof had been ripped off so the workers had to temporarily tie up the structure until they could make complete repairs.
- The farmer had to tie up the livestock before releasing it in the safe designated areas.
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Meaning 5
Invest so as to make unavailable for other purposes; "All my money is tied up in long-term investments".
Classification
Verbs of buying, selling, owning.
Examples
- Most of my savings are tied up in retirement accounts and can't be accessed without penalty.
- Her money was tied up in a trust fund that she couldn't access until she turned 25.
- The company's funds are tied up in various ongoing projects, so they can't afford to invest in anything new right now.
- He put everything he owned into the business and now his money is tied up in assets that are not easily convertible to cash.
- Because she's tied up so much of her wealth in real estate, she's struggling to come up with the cash for her son's college tuition.