band

band
    n 1: an unofficial association of people or groups; "the smart
         set goes there"; "they were an angry lot" [syn: {set},
         {circle}, {band}, {lot}]
    2: instrumentalists not including string players
    3: a stripe or stripes of contrasting color; "chromosomes
       exhibit characteristic bands"; "the black and yellow banding
       of bees and wasps" [syn: {band}, {banding}, {stria},
       {striation}]
    4: an adornment consisting of a strip of a contrasting color or
       material [syn: {band}, {banding}, {stripe}]
    5: a group of musicians playing popular music for dancing [syn:
       {dance band}, {band}, {dance orchestra}]
    6: a range of frequencies between two limits
    7: a thin flat strip of flexible material that is worn around
       the body or one of the limbs (especially to decorate the
       body)
    8: a cord-like tissue connecting two larger parts of an
       anatomical structure [syn: {isthmus}, {band}]
    9: jewelry consisting of a circlet of precious metal (often set
       with jewels) worn on the finger; "she had rings on every
       finger"; "he noted that she wore a wedding band" [syn:
       {ring}, {band}]
    10: a driving belt in machinery
    11: a thin flat strip or loop of flexible material that goes
        around or over something else, typically to hold it together
        or as a decoration
    12: a strip of material attached to the leg of a bird to
        identify it (as in studies of bird migration) [syn: {band},
        {ring}]
    13: a restraint put around something to hold it together
    v 1: bind or tie together, as with a band
    2: attach a ring to the foot of, in order to identify; "ring
       birds"; "band the geese to observe their migratory patterns"
       [syn: {ring}, {band}]
    

Band \Band\ (b[a^]nd), n. [OE. band, bond, Icel. band; akin to
   G., Sw., & D. band, OHG. bant, Goth. bandi, Skr. bandha a
   binding, bandh to bind, for bhanda, bhandh, also to E. bend,
   bind. In sense 7, at least, it is fr. F. bande, from OHG.
   bant. [root]90. See {Bind}, v. t., and cf. {Bend}, {Bond},
   1st {Bandy}.]
   1. A fillet, strap, or any narrow ligament with which a thing
      is encircled, or fastened, or by which a number of things
      are tied, bound together, or confined; a fetter.
      [1913 Webster]

            Every one's bands were loosed.        --Acts xvi.
                                                  26.
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   2. (Arch.)
      (a) A continuous tablet, stripe, or series of ornaments,
          as of carved foliage, of color, or of brickwork, etc.
      (b) In Gothic architecture, the molding, or suite of
          moldings, which encircles the pillars and small
          shafts.
          [1913 Webster]

   3. That which serves as the means of union or connection
      between persons; a tie. "To join in Hymen's bands."
      --Shak.
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   4. A linen collar or ruff worn in the 16th and 17th
      centuries.
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   5. pl. Two strips of linen hanging from the neck in front as
      part of a clerical, legal, or academic dress.
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   6. A narrow strip of cloth or other material on any article
      of dress, to bind, strengthen, ornament, or complete it.
      "Band and gusset and seam." --Hood.
      [1913 Webster]

   7. A company of persons united in any common design,
      especially a body of armed men.
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            Troops of horsemen with his bands of foot. --Shak.
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   8. A number of musicians who play together upon portable
      musical instruments, especially those making a loud sound,
      as certain wind instruments (trumpets, clarinets, etc.),
      and drums, or cymbals; as, a high school's marching band.
      [1913 Webster]

   9. (Bot.) A space between elevated lines or ribs, as of the
      fruits of umbelliferous plants.
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   10. (Zool.) A stripe, streak, or other mark transverse to the
       axis of the body.
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   11. (Mech.) A belt or strap.
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   12. A bond. [Obs.] "Thy oath and band." --Shak.
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   13. Pledge; security. [Obs.] --Spenser.
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   {Band saw}, a saw in the form of an endless steel belt, with
      teeth on one edge, running over wheels.

   {big band}, a band that is the size of an orchestra, usually
      playing mostly jazz or swing music. The big band typically
      features both ensemble and solo playing, sometimes has a
      lead singer, and is often located in a night club where
      the patrons may dance to its music. The big bands were
      popular from the late 1920's to the 1940's. Contrasted
      with {combo}, which has fewer players.
      [1913 Webster +PJC]
    

Band \Band\, v. t.
   To bandy; to drive away. [Obs.]
   [1913 Webster]
    

Band \Band\,
   imp. of {Bind}. [Obs.]                         --Spenser.
   [1913 Webster]
    

Band \Band\ (b[a^]nd), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Banded}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Banding}.]
   1. To bind or tie with a band.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To mark with a band.
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   3. To unite in a troop, company, or confederacy. "Banded
      against his throne." --Milton.
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   {Banded architrave}, {Banded pier}, {Banded shaft}, etc.
      (Arch.), an architrave, pier, shaft, etc., of which the
      regular profile is interrupted by blocks or projections
      crossing it at right angles.
      [1913 Webster]
    

Band \Band\, v. i.
   To confederate for some common purpose; to unite; to conspire
   together.
   [1913 Webster]

         Certain of the Jews banded together.     --Acts xxiii.
                                                  12.
   [1913 Webster]
    

453 Moby Thesaurus words for "band":
      Ace bandage, Band-Aid, Bund, German band, Mystik tape,
      Philharmonic, Rochdale cooperative, Scotch tape, accouple,
      accumulate, act in concert, act together, adhesive tape, affiliate,
      age group, agglutinate, alliance, ally, amalgamate, amass,
      amateur band, anklet, application, armlet, articulate, assemblage,
      assemble, assembly, associate, association, axis, band together,
      bandage, bandaging, bandeau, bar, battalion, batten, be in league,
      bed, bedding, begird, belt, belt in, bend, bespangle, bespeckle,
      bespot, bevy, big band, bind, bind up, binder, bloc, blotch, body,
      bond, border, brace, bracelet, bracket, brass, brass band,
      brass choir, brass quintet, brass section, brasses, bridge,
      bridge over, brigade, bunch, bundle, cabal, callithumpian band,
      cast, cataplasm, cellophane tape, cement, chain, chamber orchestra,
      channel, check, checker, cinch, cincture, cingulum, circle,
      citizens band, clap together, clique, cloth tape, club,
      club together, cluster, coact, coalesce, coalition, cohort,
      collaborate, collar, collarband, collect, college, collude,
      combination, combine, combo, common market, company, complement,
      compress, comprise, concatenate, concert, concert band, concord,
      concur, confederacy, confederate, confederation, conglobulate,
      conjoin, conjugate, connect, consociate, consolidate, conspire,
      consumer cooperative, contingent, cooperate, cooperative,
      cooperative society, copulate, corps, coterie, cotton, couche,
      council, couple, course, court plaster, cover, covey, crack,
      cravat, craze, credit union, crew, cross-hatching, crowd,
      customs union, dapple, dash, deck, delineation, desks, detachment,
      detail, diagonal, division, dixieland band, do business with,
      do up, dot, dotted line, dressing, earring, ecliptic,
      economic community, edge, elastic bandage, embrace, encincture,
      encircle, encompass, engird, ensemble, ensphere, epithem, equator,
      faction, fascia, federate, federation, fillet, finger ring, flake,
      fleck, fleet, floor, four-tailed bandage, freckle, free trade area,
      frequency band, friction tape, fuse, gallery, gamelan orchestra,
      gang, gather, gauze, get heads together, get together, gird,
      girdle, girt, girth, glue, go partners, great circle, group,
      grouping, groupment, hachure, hairline, hang together, harlequin,
      harmonize, hatching, hold together, hook up, hoop, horde, in-group,
      include, iris, jazz band, join, join in, join together, jug band,
      junta, keep, keep together, knot, lace, lash, lath, lay together,
      layer, league, league together, leash, ledge, level, ligula,
      ligule, line, lineation, link, lint, list, loop, lump together,
      machine, maculate, make common cause, marble, marbleize, marry,
      marshal, masking tape, mass, measures, merge, military band, mob,
      mobilize, motley, mottle, movement, neckband, necklace, nose ring,
      orchestra, out-group, outfit, overlayer, overstory, pack, pair,
      partner, partnership, party, peer group, pepper, phalanx,
      philharmonic, piece together, plank, plaster, plaster cast,
      plastic tape, platoon, play ball, pledget, police band,
      political machine, polychrome, polychromize, posse, poultice,
      pull together, put heads together, put together, quartet, quintet,
      quoit, radio channel, ragtime band, rainbow, reciprocate, regiment,
      ribband, ribbon, ring, rock-and-roll group, roll into one, roller,
      roller bandage, rope, rubber bandage, salon, score, seam, set,
      sextet, shelf, shortwave band, shred, skiffle band, slash, slat,
      sling, slip, society, solder, span, spangle, speck, speckle, spill,
      splice, spline, splint, splotch, sponge, spot, sprinkle, squad,
      stable, stage, stand together, standard band, steel band, step,
      stick together, stigmatize, stipple, story, strake, strap, stratum,
      streak, streaking, street band, stria, striate, striation,
      striature, striga, string, string band, string choir,
      string orchestra, string quartet, strings, striola, strip, stripe,
      striping, stroke, strop, stud, stupe, sublineation, substratum,
      superstratum, swaddle, swathe, swing band, symphony,
      symphony orchestra, taenia, take in, tampon, tape, tape measure,
      tapeline, tattoo, team, team up, tent, tessellate, thickness,
      throw in together, ticker tape, tie, tie in, tie up, tier, topsoil,
      tourniquet, triangular bandage, tribe, trio, troop, troupe, truss,
      twine around, underlayer, underline, underlining, underscore,
      underscoring, understory, understratum, unify, union, unionize,
      unite, unite efforts, variegate, vein, virgule, waits, weld, wing,
      wire, woodwind, woodwind choir, woodwind quartet, woodwinds,
      work together, wrap, wrap up, wreathe, wreathe around, wristband,
      wristlet, yoke, zodiac, zone