band

¹

[ band ]

noun

1. a company of persons or, sometimes, animals or things, joined, acting, or functioning together; aggregation; party; troop:

   a band of protesters.

   Synonyms: assembly, association, society, set, body, group, gang

2. Music.
   1. a group of instrumentalists playing music of a specialized type:

      rock band; calypso band; mariachi band.

   2. a musical group, usually employing brass, percussion, and often woodwind instruments, that plays especially for marching or open-air performances.
   3. big band.
   4. dance band.
3. a division of a nomadic tribe; a group of individuals who move and camp together and subsist by hunting and gathering.
4. a group of persons living outside the law:

   a renegade band.

verb (used with object)

1. to unite in a troop, company, or confederacy.

verb (used without object)

1. to unite; confederate (often followed by together ):

   They banded together to oust the chairman.

band

²

[ band ]

noun

1. a thin, flat strip of some material for binding, confining, trimming, protecting, etc.:

   a band on each bunch of watercress.

2. a fillet, belt, or strap:

   a band for the hair;

   a band for connecting pulleys.

3. a stripe, as of color or decorative work.
4. a strip of paper or other material serving as a label:

   a cigar band.

5. a plain or simply styled ring, without mounted gems or the like:

   a thin gold band on his finger.

6. (on a long-playing phonograph record) one of a set of grooves in which sound has been recorded, separated from an adjacent set or sets by grooves without recorded sound.
7. bands. Geneva bands.
8. a flat collar commonly worn by men and women in the 17th century in western Europe.
9. Also called frequency band, wave band. Radio and Television. a specific range of frequencies, especially a set of radio frequencies, as HF, VHF, and UHF.
10. Also called energy band. Physics. a closely spaced group of energy levels of electrons in a solid.
11. Computers. one or more tracks or channels on a magnetic drum.
12. Dentistry. a strip of thin metal encircling a tooth, usually for anchoring an orthodontic apparatus.
13. Anatomy, Zoology. a ribbonlike or cordlike structure encircling, binding, or connecting a part or parts.
14. (in handbound books) one of several cords of hemp or flax handsewn across the back of the collated signatures of a book to provide added strength.

verb (used with object)

1. to mark, decorate, or furnish with a band or bands.

band

³

[ band ]

noun

, Archaic.

1. Usually bands. articles for binding the person or the limbs; shackles; manacles; fetters.
2. an obligation; bond:

   the nuptial bands.

band

¹

/ bænd /

noun

1. a company of people having a common purpose; group

   a band of outlaws

2. a group of musicians playing either brass and percussion instruments only ( brass band ) or brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments ( concert band or military band )
3. a group of musicians who play popular music, jazz, etc, often for dancing
4. a group of instrumentalists generally; orchestra
5. a formally recognized group of Canadian Indians on a reserve
6. anthropol a division of a tribe; a family group or camp group
7. a flock or herd

verb

1. usually foll by together to unite; assemble

band

²

/ bænd /

noun

1. an archaic word for bond bond bond

band

³

/ bænd /

noun

1. a thin flat strip of some material, used esp to encircle objects and hold them together

   a rubber band

2. 1. a strip of fabric or other material used as an ornament or distinguishing mark, or to reinforce clothing
   2. ( in combination )

      waistband

      hatband

      hairband

3. a stripe of contrasting colour or texture See also chromosome band
4. a driving belt in machinery
5. a range of values that are close or related in number, degree, or quality
6. 1. physics a range of frequencies or wavelengths between two limits
   2. radio such a range allocated to a particular broadcasting station or service
7. short for energy band
8. computing one or more tracks on a magnetic disk or drum
9. anatomy any structure resembling a ribbon or cord that connects, encircles, or binds different parts
10. the cords to which the folded sheets of a book are sewn
11. a thin layer or seam of ore
12. architect a strip of flat panelling, such as a fascia or plinth, usually attached to a wall
13. a large white collar, sometimes edged with lace, worn in the 17th century
14. either of a pair of hanging extensions of the collar, forming part of academic, legal, or (formerly) clerical dress
15. a ring for the finger (esp in phrases such as wedding band , band of gold , etc)

verb

1. to fasten or mark with a band
2. to ring (a bird) See ring 1

band

/ bănd /

1. A specific range of electromagnetic wavelengths or frequencies, as those used in radio broadcasting.

Other Words From

• band·er noun
• band·less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of band¹

First recorded in 1480–90; from Middle French bande, from Italian banda; cognate with Medieval Latin banda (plural of bandum) “(military) standard,” equivalent to Latin signum, from Germanic; akin to Gothic bandwa “(military) standard, sign, token”; band ², band ³, bend ¹, bond ¹

Origin of band²

First recorded in 1480–90; mostly and earlier from Middle English bende, biende “fetter, shackle, ornamental ribbon, sash,” Old English bend “band, ribbon, bond, fetter, chaplet,” partly and later from Old French bande, bende, from Germanic; compare Old High German binta “fillet”; bind, band ¹, band ³, bend ¹, bond ¹

Origin of band³

First recorded in 1100–50; Middle English bend, bende, late Old English bend “something that ties, binds, or bends,” from Old Norse band “act of binding; cord, band, fetter; confederacy, bond”; cognate with Old Saxon, Old Frisian band, Old High German bant; akin to Sanskrit bandhati “(he) binds, ties, fetters”; band ¹, band ², bend ¹, bond ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of band¹

C15: from French bande probably from Old Provençal banda of Germanic origin; compare Gothic bandwa sign, banner

Origin of band²

C13: from Old Norse band ; related to Old High German bant fetter; see bend ¹, bond

Origin of band³

C15: from Old French bende , of Germanic origin; compare Old High German binda fillet; see band ³

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. to beat the band, Informal. energetically; abundantly:

   It rained all day to beat the band.

More idioms and phrases containing band

see on the bandwagon ; to beat the band .

Synonym Study

See company.

Example Sentences

Having performed in church and played in a band after high school in Paradise, Smith moved to L.A.

From Los Angeles Times

La Niña seasons typically produce large numbers of atmospheric rivers, or narrow bands of concentrated water vapor in the sky that act like rivers in the sky.

From Salon

The band separated in 2016 and the members continued to record on their own.

From New York Times

In 2016, multiple members of Johnson’s band were arrested in Mississippi for possession of a controlled substance, but the singer was not charged in the incident.

From Los Angeles Times

Bryon, who served as the “Saturday Night Fever” band’s drummer starting in 1973 and through the height of its disco renaissance, died at 76.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bunch
• club
• collection
• company
• corps
• crew
• gang
• gathering
• party
• troop
• troupe