From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbandband1 /bænd/ ●●● S2 W2 noun [countable] 1 MUSICAPMa group of musicians, especially a group that plays popular music The band was playing old Beatles songs. I grew up playing in rock bands. Smith joined the band in 1989. They formed a band when they were still at school. The entertainment includes a disco and live band. interviews with band members → big band, brass band, marching band, one-man bandGRAMMAR: Singular or plural verb?• In this meaning, band is usually followed by a singular verb: The band has made a video.• In British English, you can also use a plural verb: The band have made a video.2 GROUP OF PEOPLEa group of people formed because of a common belief or purposeband of a small band of volunteers bands of soldiers3 AMOUNTa range of numbers within a system Interest rates stayed within a relatively narrow band.age/tax/income etc band people within the $20,000–$30,000 income band4 PIECE OF MATERIALPIECEa flat narrow piece of something with one end joined to the other to form a circle papers held together with a rubber band a slim gold band on her finger5 a narrow area of light, colour, land etc that is different from the areas around it The birds have a distinctive blue band round their eyes.band of a thin band of cloud6 TCB technical a range of radio signals SYN wavebandCOLLOCATIONSverbsform a bandThey formed their own band and released a single.join a bandHe took up the saxophone and joined the school band.play/sing in a band (=be a musician or singer in a band)Budd played in a rock band.lead a band (=either as lead singer or as a conductor)He led his own band in Florida and played in clubs.a band performs/playsThe band is performing live on Saturday night.a band strikes up (=starts playing)We were on the dance floor waiting for the band to strike up.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + banda rock/jazz etc bandHe’s the saxophonist in a jazz band.a brass band (=a band of brass instruments such as trumpets and trombones)A brass band was playing in the park.a live band (=playing live music, not recorded music)There’s a live band at the club on Saturday nights.the school bandShe plays the trumpet in the school band.a marching band (=musicians who march as they play)the Ohio state marching banda military band (=musicians who play music on military occasions)a military band with their brass and their drumsband + NOUNa band memberHe was one of the original band members.a band leader (=the conductor of a brass band, a military band, etc)COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘make a band’. Say form a band.
Examples from the Corpus
band• There was a band of yellow in the rock.• It is red-orange, with five or six narrow violet-blue bands on the sides.• There are an orchestra, a concert band, an intermediate band and a 25-member jazz ensemble.• an elastic band• There's a good band on Friday night at El Club.• More importantly, they adapted to the conditions far more effectively than Gavin Hastings' band of teetotallers.• As you move into the higher income bands, the charges start to increase.• How many bands of colour are there in a rainbow?• As we taxied up and the motors were turned off, we could hear martial music from a khaki-clad military band.• There are orange bands around the snake's back.• a black snake with orange bands around its back• a wide silk band• a small band of rebels• These changes will not affect people in the lowest tax band.• The band were pleased with the excellent treatment they received from foreign promoters.• a country-and-western band• The Sensational what band? he said.age/tax/income etc band• Last year, in a symbolic gesture, he introduced a 20p tax band.• But the local council has put it in the highest council tax band - for houses worth at least three hundred thousand pounds.• Expected mortality was found for each age band, disease site, and decade of diagnosis.• And all workers will get an extra £3 a week from the widening of the bottom-rate 10p income tax band.• Tax cuts through the increase in the 10p income tax band will mean everyone has a little more in their pocket.• All taxpayers will benefit from the widening of the 10p income tax band.• Nor could breakdowns of these awards in terms of age bands and entry qualifications be supplied.• This, however, is unlikely to be a serious problem with five-year age bands.bandband2 verb [transitive] British English to put people or things into different groups, usually according to income, value, or price After valuation, properties will be banded in groups of £20,000 or more.Grammar Band is usually passive. → band together→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
band• But her caramel hair was lighter than Mitchell recalled, and drastically shorter, banded into a cool ponytail.• Sometimes the whole body of the fish is banded with vertical marks, one of which conveniently blots out the real eye.Origin band1 1. (1400-1500) French bande “group of people”2. (1400-1500) French bande “flat strip, edge, side” 