tie

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

• intransitive verb To fasten or secure with or as if with a cord, rope, or strap.
• intransitive verb To fasten by drawing together the parts or sides and knotting with strings or laces.
• intransitive verb To make by fastening ends or parts.
• intransitive verb To put a knot or bow in.
• intransitive verb To confine or restrict as if with cord.
• intransitive verb To bring together in relationship; connect or unite.
• intransitive verb To equal (an opponent or an opponent's score) in a contest.
• intransitive verb To equal an opponent's score in (a contest).
• intransitive verb Music To join (notes) by a tie.
• intransitive verb To be fastened or attached.
• intransitive verb To achieve equal scores in a contest.
• noun A cord, string, or other means by which something is tied.
• noun Something that connects or unites; a link.
• noun A necktie.
• noun A beam or rod that joins parts and gives support.
• noun One of the timbers or slabs of concrete laid across a railroad bed to support the rails.
• noun An equality of scores, votes, or performance in a contest.
• noun A contest so resulting; a draw.
• noun Music A curved line above or below two notes of the same pitch, indicating that the tone is to be sustained for their combined duration.
• idiom (tie one on) To become intoxicated; go on a drinking spree.
• idiom (tie the knot) To get married.
• idiom (tie the knot) To perform a marriage ceremony.

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun A band; rope; chain; a cord or other flexible thing used to fasten or bind, especially by knotting or looping; a fastening: as, cotton-ties (for binding bales of cotton); specifically, the ribbon or similar fastening used for the queue or pigtail, whether of the wig or of the natural hair.
• noun A cravat, usually a simple one knotted in front; a necktie.
• noun A knot composed of one or two loops of cord, ribbon, or the like; a looped ornamental knot; a bow.
• noun Something which binds or unites, in a figurative sense; a bond; an obligation, moral or legal: as, the ties of blood or of friendship.
• noun In construction, any rod or beam serving to counteract a pulling or tensile strain, to hold the parts together, to equalize opposing thrusts, or to transfer strains from one part of a structure to another.
• noun On railroads, one of a series of beams, commonly of wood, laid on a permanent way and bedded in the ballast, on which are laid the rails to form the track. These ties are sometimes made of iron or stone, and in a variety of forms. Also called sleeper or cross-sleeper.
• noun Nautical: That part of the topsail- or topgallant-halyards which is fast to the yard and passes through a sheave-hole in the mast or through a tie-block at the masthead.
• noun A mooring-bridle.
• noun In musical notation, a curve above or below two notes on the same degree which are to be performed continuously, as if but one; a bind or ligature. The following are examples:
• noun A state of equality among competing or opposed parties, as when two candidates receive an equal number of votes, rival marksmen score a like number of points, or two or more racers reach the winning-post at the same time, so that neither party can be declared victorious; a contest in which two or more competitors are equally successful.
• noun A weavers' pattern.
• noun Same as lace, 2.
• noun plural Low shoes fastened with lacings.
• To attach or make fast by a band, ribbon, cord, or the like drawn together and knotted; bind.
• To fasten by looping or knotting: as, to tie a ribbon on one's arm; hence, to fasten as if tied.
• To fasten by tightening and knotting the strings of: as, to tie a shoe or a bonnet.
• To form by looping and interlacing; knit: as, to tie a knot.
• To bind or unite securely; specifically, to unite in marriage (colloq. in this use).