Rebinding

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. The act of attaching or tying something once more to restore its hold or secure it again
2. A process of renewing or repairing the fastening or connection of an object or material
3. Reestablishing the attachment or cohesion of parts by binding them anew

Etymology: "Rebinding" is the present participle and gerund of "rebind", which is formed by adding the prefix "re-", meaning "again" or "back", to "bind". The verb "bind" has a long pedigree: it descends from an ancient Indo-European root that spread into Germanic languages, reaching Old English as "bindan" and becoming "binden" in Middle English before settling into its modern form. The prefix "re-" arrived in English by a more roundabout route. It passed from Latin, where it was a common prefix, through Old French, which also supplied many English words built with it. Its sense is simple and productive: attach it to nearly any verb and you get the idea of doing that action once more, so "rebind" is literally "bind again," and "rebinding" names the act of doing so, such as re-covering a worn book or re-tying a bundle.