Etymology Inherited from Middle English band (also bond), from Old English beand, bænd, bend (“bond, chain, fetter, band, ribbon, ornament, chaplet, crown”), from Proto-Germanic *bandą, *bandiz (“band, fetter”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- (“to tie, bind”). Middle English band reinforced by Old French bande. Cognate with Dutch band, German Band, Danish bånd, Swedish band, Icelandic band (“band”). Related to bond, bind, bend.
A strip of material wrapped around things to hold them together.
The Jones man was looking at her hard. Now he reached into the hatch of his vest and fetched out a couple of cigars, everlasting big ones, with gilt bands on them.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter X, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
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A narrow strip of cloth or other material on clothing, to bind, strengthen, or ornament it.
band and gusset and seam1843, Thomas Hood, The Song of the Shirt:
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A strip along the spine of a book where the pages are attached.
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A belt or strap that is part of a machine.
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A long strip of material, color, etc, that is different from the surrounding area.
sandstone with bands of shale
[...] at each station the train times are not shown in one all-embracing chronological list, but in two separate sheets, one with a conspicuous band of yellow detailing westbound departures and the other with a similar band of blue the eastbound trains.1960 December, “The Glasgow Suburban Electrification is opened”, in Trains Illustrated, page 714:
› A strip of decoration.
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Architecture A continuous tablet, stripe, or series of ornaments, as of carved foliage, of colour, or of brickwork.
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Architecture In Gothic architecture, the moulding, or suite of mouldings, which encircles the pillars and small shafts.
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That which serves as the means of union or connection between persons; a tie.
For that heroic band—those children of the furnace who, in regions like Texas and Tennessee, maintained their fidelity through terrible trials—we of the North felt for them, and profoundly we honor them.1866, Herman Melville, Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War, Supplement:
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A linen collar or ruff worn in the 16th and 17th centuries.
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In plural Two strips of linen hanging from the neck in front as part of a clerical, legal, or academic dress.
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Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Physics A part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
OLd Iohn of Gaunt, time-honoured Lancaſter, Haſt thou according to thy oath and band Brought hither Henry Herford thy bold ſon: Heere to make good yͤ boiſtrous late appeale, Which then our leyſure would not let vs heare, Againſt the Duke of Norfolke, Thomas Mowbray?1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 23, column 1:
He sent to her his basenet as a faithfull band.1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book VI, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
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US, Especially A ring, such as a wedding ring (wedding band), or a ring put on a bird's leg to identify it.
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Sciences Any distinguishing line formed by chromatography, electrophoresis etc
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Medicine, SciencesAbbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of band cell.
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In plural, Often, Slang A wad of money totaling $1K, held together by a band; (by extension) $1000, a grand; (by extension) money
She my trap queen, let her hit the bando / We be countin' up, watch how far them bands go2014, “Trap Queen”, performed by Fetty Wap:
Etymology Inherited from Middle English band (also bond), from Old English beand, bænd, bend (“bond, chain, fetter, band, ribbon, ornament, chaplet, crown”), from Proto-Germanic *bandą, *bandiz (“band, fetter”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- (“to tie, bind”). Middle English band reinforced by Old French bande. Cognate with Dutch band, German Band, Danish bånd, Swedish band, Icelandic band (“band”). Related to bond, bind, bend.
1
To fasten with a band.
As he spake, his eyes rested on the graves below. "Yes," muttered the youth, "they are sufficient answer; they are indeed the end of all human hope." Mechanically he turned from one to another. Some were recently banded down with osiers, and the grass was varied with primrose roots; on some the foxglove grew luxuriantly, while others had a tombstone, carved with a name and a brief epitaph.1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “A Poet’s Midnight”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 54:
"Come, come, 'Orace," said the inspector, leisurely elastic-banding his book and putting it away, "you aren't supposed to be fishing down that hole, you know. Is it O.K. there?"1934, Ernest Bramah, The Bravo of London:
2
Biology, Natural sciences, Ornithology To fasten an identifying band around the leg of (a bird).
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *bandiz Old English bend Middle English bandder. English band Derived from Middle English band, from Old French bande, from Old Occitan banda (“regiment of troops”), perhaps from Frankish *bend, from Proto-Germanic *bandiz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- (“to tie; bond, band”). Compare German Bande (“band”).
1
A group of musicians who perform together as an ensemble; sometimes, such a group working for a professional recording artist.
musical band
session band
3 more examples
studio band
touring band
bar band
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A type of orchestra originally playing janissary music; an instance of this type.
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Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of marching band.
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A group of people loosely united for a common purpose, such as a band of thieves.
But in the mean time Robin Hood and his band lived quietly in Sherwood Forest, without showing their faces abroad, for Robin knew that it would not be wise for him to be seen in the neighborhood of Nottingham, those in authority being very wroth with him.1883, Howard Pyle, “Robin Hood Turns Butcher”, in The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood […], New York, N.Y.: […] Charles Scribner’s Sons […], →OCLC, part second, page 47:
"My third command to the Winged Monkeys," said Glinda, "shall be to carry you to your forest. Then, having used up the powers of the Golden Cap, I shall give it to the King of the Monkeys, that he and his band may thereafter be free for evermore."1900 May 17, L[yman] Frank Baum, “The Good Witch Grants Dorothy’s Wish”, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Chicago, Ill.; New York, N.Y.: Geo[rge] M[elvin] Hill Co., →OCLC, page 256:
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Anthropology, Human sciences, Sciences A small group of people living in a simple society, contrasted with tribes, chiefdoms, and nations.
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Canada, Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of band government.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *bandiz Old English bend Middle English bandder. English band Derived from Middle English band, from Old French bande, from Old Occitan banda (“regiment of troops”), perhaps from Frankish *bend, from Proto-Germanic *bandiz, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰendʰ- (“to tie; bond, band”). Compare German Bande (“band”).
1
To group together for a common purpose; to confederate.
And when it was day, certaine of the Iewes banded together, […]1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Acts 23:12, signature O2, verso, column 2:
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Education To group (students) together by perceived ability; to stream.