ligature

noun

1. the act of binding or tying up: The ligature of the artery was done with skill.
2. anything that serves for binding or tying up, as a band, bandage, or cord.
3. a tie or bond: the ligature of mutual need that bound them together.
4. Printing, Orthography. a stroke or bar connecting two letters.
5. Printing. a character or type combining two or more letters, as fl and ƕ.
6. Music.
   1. slur.
   2. a group of notes connected by a slur.
   3. a metal band for securing the reed of a clarinet or saxophone to the mouthpiece.
7. Surgery. a thread or wire for constriction of blood vessels or for removing tumors by strangulation.

verb (used with object), lig·a·tured, lig·a·tur·ing.

8. to bind with a ligature; tie up; ligate.

noun

1. the act of binding or tying up
2. something used to bind
3. a link, bond, or tie
4. surgery a thread or wire for tying around a vessel, duct, etc, as for constricting the flow of blood to a part
5. printing a character of two or more joined letters, such as, fl, ffi, ffl
6. music
   1. a slur or the group of notes connected by it
   2. (in plainsong notation) a symbol indicating two or more notes grouped together

verb

7. (tr) to bind with a ligature; ligate

n.c.1400, “something used in tying or binding,” from Middle French ligature (14c.), from Late Latin ligatura “a band,” from Latin ligatus, past participle of ligare “to bind” (see ligament). In musical notation from 1590s; of letters joined in printing or writing from 1690s. n.

1. The act of tying or binding.
2. A cord, wire, or bandage used in surgery to close vessels or tie off ducts.
3. A thread, wire, or cord used in surgery to close vessels or tie off ducts.