tie up

attacher, ligoter

Maintenir quelqu’un ou quelque chose en place avec une corde, une ficelle ou un matériau semblable.

En anglais simple : To hold someone or something in place using rope, string, or a similar material.

• Tie up your hair before cooking.
• We tied the boat up beside the bridge.
• The thieves tied him up with rope.

Comment l'utiliser : tie someone/something up (They tied the prisoner up.); tie something up with something (Tie the bundle up with string.)

Synonymes : bind, fasten, secure

Contraires : untie

Expressions courantes : tie up something, tie someone up, tie up hair

occuper, bloquer

Occuper quelqu’un ou empêcher quelque chose d’être disponible ou de circuler librement.

En anglais simple : To keep someone busy or stop something from being available or moving freely.

• The accident tied up traffic for hours.
• I was tied up with work yesterday.
• Do not tie up the phone line all evening.

Comment l'utiliser : be tied up with something (I am tied up with meetings all morning.)

Synonymes : occupy, delay, hold up

Contraires : free

Expressions courantes : tie someone up, tie up traffic, tie up resources

finaliser, achever

Terminer quelque chose en réglant les petits problèmes ou les tâches qui restent.

En anglais simple : To finish something by dealing with its remaining small problems or tasks.

• Let us tie up the last few details.
• She tied up the deal before leaving.
• Have you tied up all the loose ends?

Comment l'utiliser : tie up loose ends (We need to tie up loose ends before the launch.)

Synonymes : finish, complete, resolve

Expressions courantes : tie up loose ends, tie up something

immobiliser

Engager de l’argent dans quelque chose, ce qui empêche de l’utiliser pour autre chose.

En anglais simple : To put money into something so that you cannot use it for other purposes.

• The purchase will tie up our savings.
• Most of his money is tied up in property.
• How much capital does this investment tie up?

Comment l'utiliser : tie up money in something (Do not tie up all your money in one property.)

Synonymes : lock up, immobilize

Contraires : release

Expressions courantes : tie up money, tie up capital, tie up savings