Forum newsfeeds
Forum Newsfeeds


Sites for Teachers

Sites for Teachers


Go Back   UsingEnglish.com ESL Forum > Learning English > Ask a Teacher

Notices

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old 27-Feb-2008, 16:54
Key Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Country: Romania
Posts: 1,673
Current Location: Romania
First Language: Romanian
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 0
Thanked 29 Times in 26 Posts
Teia is on a distinguished road
Default to be bound to

Hi

I understand that "to be bound to" is a semi-auxiliary verb but I don`t know its meaning. Although I tried searching it in some dictionaries, I didn`t find its exact meaning. Could you, please, help me with that?

e.g. His holiday is over; he has no other choice so he is bound to come back this evening.

Thank you very much in advance.
Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
  #2 (permalink)  
Old 27-Feb-2008, 16:59
Key Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Country: Canada
Posts: 3,025
Current Location: Canada
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 4
Thanked 481 Times in 442 Posts
riverkid is a glorious beacon of lightriverkid is a glorious beacon of lightriverkid is a glorious beacon of lightriverkid is a glorious beacon of lightriverkid is a glorious beacon of light
Default Re: to be bound to

Quote:
Originally Posted by Teia View Post
Hi

I understand that "to be bound to" is a semi-auxiliary verb but I don`t know its meaning. Although I tried searching it in some dictionaries, I didn`t find its exact meaning. Could you, please, help me with that?

e.g. His holiday is over; he has no other choice so he is bound to come back this evening.

Thank you very much in advance.
Hi Teia.

It basically means, "is sure to"; very likely to to almost certainly will ..."

He is sure to come back this evening.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old 27-Feb-2008, 17:00
Moderator
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Country: UK
Posts: 14,996
Current Location: UK
First Language: English
Member Type: Other
Thanks: 3
Thanked 2,978 Times in 2,805 Posts
Anglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond reputeAnglika has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: to be bound to

"bound" in this phrase means certain and is the past participle of To bind, used as an adjective and usually followed by an infinitive.
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old 27-Feb-2008, 17:01
Key Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Country: Romania
Posts: 1,673
Current Location: Romania
First Language: Romanian
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 0
Thanked 29 Times in 26 Posts
Teia is on a distinguished road
Default Re: to be bound to

Quote:
Originally Posted by riverkid View Post
Hi Teia.

It basically means, "is sure to"; very likely to"

He is sure to come back this evening.
Hi Riverkid

Thank you very much for answering my question so fast.
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old 27-Feb-2008, 17:20
Key Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Country: Romania
Posts: 1,673
Current Location: Romania
First Language: Romanian
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 0
Thanked 29 Times in 26 Posts
Teia is on a distinguished road
Default Re: to be bound to

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anglika View Post
"bound" in this phrase means certain and is the past participle of To bind, used as an adjective and usually followed by an infinitive.
Hi Anglika

Thank you very much for clarifying that.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old 27-Feb-2008, 17:30
Key Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Country: Canada
Posts: 3,025
Current Location: Canada
First Language: English
Member Type: English Teacher
Thanks: 4
Thanked 481 Times in 442 Posts
riverkid is a glorious beacon of lightriverkid is a glorious beacon of lightriverkid is a glorious beacon of lightriverkid is a glorious beacon of lightriverkid is a glorious beacon of light
Default Re: to be bound to

Quote:
Originally Posted by Teia View Post
Hi Riverkid

Thank you very much for answering my question so fast.
You're welcome, Teia. You replied before I was able to edit.

I beeeelieve that this collocation occupies the same range of certainty as a 'very likely' to an 'almost certainly'.

Of course, 'almost certainly' occupies the same range as a 'must' but I think that this is a good example of a situation where a 'must' of certainty could not be used. 'must' is ['almost certainly' + deductive reasoning] that leaves the speaker only one rational choice.

For pure speculation without the "facts that provide the fodder for deductive reasoning, we'd choose 'almost certainly' or in the 'should' range, 'likely/probably' 'very likely'.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
bound volumes user_gary Ask a Teacher 1 18-Jun-2007 09:25
idioms idiomsbuster Ask a Teacher 4 08-Mar-2007 09:32
"with" and "by" endeavor6636 Ask a Teacher 1 02-Sep-2006 11:45
bound morphemes Anonymous Ask a Teacher 2 11-Jun-2003 15:18


New To Site? Need Help?

All times are GMT. The time now is 22:02.


vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.2.0
Copyright © 2002 - 2008 UsingEnglish.com