Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Held in a bonded warehouse: "bonded" describes goods that are stored in a secure, customs-controlled warehouse until taxes or duties are paid.
   • Secured by a bond: "bonded" can refer to a debt or financial obligation that is guaranteed by a bond, a formal written promise to pay a sum of money.
   • Joined or cemented together: "bonded" can mean physically or chemically attached, as in materials that are glued or fused.

Usage Examples

• Held in a bonded warehouse:

  • The bonded goods cannot be released until the import duties are paid. (The goods are stored under customs supervision.)
  • They stored the whiskey in a bonded warehouse for three years. (The whiskey was kept in a secure, tax-deferred facility.)

• Secured by a bond:

  • The company issued bonded debt to raise capital. (The debt was backed by a formal bond agreement.)
  • The bonded loan was repaid with interest after ten years. (The loan was guaranteed by a bond.)

• Joined or cemented together:

  • The bonded layers of plywood make it strong. (The layers are glued together.)
  • The bonded concrete surface is resistant to cracking. (The concrete is chemically fused.)

Advanced Usage

• "bonded labour": a system where workers are forced to work to pay off debts, often under exploitative conditions.

  • The government outlawed bonded labour in the region. (Forced labour tied to debt repayment.)

• "bonded warehouse": a building authorized by customs authorities for storing goods on which duties have not yet been paid.

  • The importer kept the electronics in a bonded warehouse until the tax was settled. (A secure storage for untaxed goods.)

Variants and Related Words

• Bond (n): a formal agreement to repay borrowed money with interest; also, a force that unites people or materials.

  • The government issued a bond to fund the project. (A financial instrument.)

• Bonding (n): the process of forming a close relationship or joining materials together.

  • The team-building exercise helped with bonding among the employees. (Creating emotional connections.)

Synonyms

• Secured: protected or guaranteed by a financial instrument (for debts).
• Confined: kept in a restricted area (for goods in a warehouse).
• Attached: physically or chemically joined (for materials).

Related Idioms

• "Bonded by blood": connected by family ties or shared experiences.

  • The soldiers were bonded by blood after surviving the war. (They shared a deep, unbreakable connection.)

• "Bonded in spirit": united by common beliefs or goals.

  • The volunteers were bonded in spirit by their mission to help others. (They were emotionally united.)