tide-bound

[ tahyd-bound ]

adjective

, Nautical.

1. (of a vessel) grounded or otherwise confined at low tide.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tide-bound¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

They saw the tide-bound battered ship Creep close below against the bank; They saw it cringe and shrink; it shrank As shrinks some huge black beast with fear When some uncommon dread is near.

From Project Gutenberg

True, there were cases remembered of people having been tide-bound in the Doocot Caves, and not much the worse in consequence; but as the caves were inaccessible during neaps, we could not, it was said, possibly be in them; and the sole remaining ground of hope was, that, as had happened once before, only one of the two had been killed, and that the survivor was lingering among the rocks, afraid to come home.

From Project Gutenberg

We cleared the Kyle, leaving a whole fleet tide-bound behind us; and, stretching out at one long tack into the open sea, bore, at the next, right into the bay at Broadford, where we cast anchor for the night, within two hundred yards of the shore.

From Project Gutenberg

Totally surrounded with ice.—Tide-bound, or be-neaped.

From Project Gutenberg

I know they used to get becalmed and tide-bound out here and the sailors would come ashore and raid fruit orchards.

From Project Gutenberg