Meaning
In obeah, to bind someone spiritually — to 'tie' a person so as to control, hold, or influence them. Most often it means binding a lover to you so they can't leave or stray ('she tie him'), but it can also mean binding an enemy's fortune, luck, or movements to hold them back. A 'tie-up' is such a binding working, undone only by 'cut and clear' or a stronger 'reading'.
Examples
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Dem seh she tie him so him cyaan lef har.
They say she bound him so he can't leave her.
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Him luck tie up, nuttn nah work out.
His fortune is bound; nothing works out for him.
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Go to a reader fi undo di tie-up.
Go to a reader to undo the binding.
Origin
From 'tie' + 'up' (bind); an obeah binding of a person's will, love, or fortune. See [[science-man]], [[cut-and-clear]].
How it’s used
Obeah binding of a lover, enemy, or fortune; undone by 'cut and clear'. See [[science-man]], [[cut-and-clear]].