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lig•a•ture

Pronunciation: (lig'u-chur, -choor"), [key]
—n., v., -tured, -tur•ing.

—n.
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. Print., Orthography.a stroke or bar connecting two letters.
5. Print.a character or type combining two or more letters, as fi and ffi.
6. Music.
a. slur.
b. a group of notes connected by a slur.
c. a metal band for securing the reed of a clarinet or saxophone to the mouthpiece.
7. Surg.a thread or wire for constriction of blood vessels or for removing tumors by strangulation.

—v.t.
to bind with a ligature; tie up; ligate.

ligation

ligeance

See also:

ligature (Thesaurus)

Dictionary

lig•a•ture

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