D defs.my
Menu ☰
Entry 22 senses · 6 variants Webster, 1913

Bow

/(bou)/ · IPA /boʊ/
01 v. t. To cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to inflect; to make crooked or curved.
imp. & p. p. Bowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Bowing
  1. 1.
    To cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to inflect; to make crooked or curved.
    “We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness.” — Milton.
    “The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind of tyranny.” — Prescott.
  2. 2.
    To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.
    “Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion.” — Bacon.
    “Not to bow and bias their opinions.” — Fuller.
  3. 3.
    To bend or incline, as the head or body, in token of respect, gratitude, assent, homage, or condescension.
    “They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.” — 2 Kings ii. 15.
  4. 4.
    To cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress,;� to crush; to subdue.
    “Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave.” — Shak.
  5. 5.
    To express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks.
02 v. i. To bend; to curve.
  1. 1.
    To bend; to curve.[Obs.]
  2. 2.
    To stop.[Archaic]
    “They stoop, they bow down together.” — Is. xlvi. 2�
  3. 3.
    To bend the head, knee, or body, in token of reverence or submission; -- often with down.
    “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” — Ps. xcv. 6.
  4. 4.
    To incline the head in token of salutation, civility, or assent; to make bow.
    “Admired, adored by all circling crowd, For wheresoe'er she turned her face, they bowed.” — Dryden.
03 n. An inclination of the head, or a bending of the body, in token of reverence, respect, civility, or submission; an obeisance; as, a bow of d…
  1. 1.
    An inclination of the head, or a bending of the body, in token of reverence, respect, civility, or submission; an obeisance; as, a bow of deep humility.
04 n. Anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow.
  1. 1.
    Anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow.
    “I do set my bow in the cloud.” — Gen. ix. 13.
  2. 2.
    A weapon made of a strip of wood, or other elastic material, with a cord connecting the two ends, by means of which an arrow is propelled.
  3. 3.
    An ornamental knot, with projecting loops, formed by doubling a ribbon or string.
  4. 4.
    The U-shaped piece which embraces the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.
  5. 5.
    An appliance consisting of an elastic rod, with a number of horse hairs stretched from end to end of it, used in playing on a stringed instrument.(Mus.)
  6. 6.
    An arcograph.
  7. 7.
    Any instrument consisting of an elastic rod, with ends connected by a string, employed for giving reciprocating motion to a drill, or for preparing and arranging the hair, fur, etc., used by hatters.(Mech. & Manuf.)
  8. 8.
    A rude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.(Naut.)
  9. 9.
    Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.(Saddlery)
Phrases & compounds
Bow bearer — an under officer of the forest who looked after trespassers.
Bow drill — a drill worked by a bow and string.
Bow instrument — any stringed instrument from which the tones are produced by the bow.
Bow window — See Bay window.
To draw a long bow — to lie; to exaggerate.
05 v. i. To play (music) with a bow.
imp. & p. p. Bowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Bowing
  1. 1.
    To play (music) with a bow.
06 n. The bending or rounded part of a ship forward; the stream or prow.
  1. 1.
    The bending or rounded part of a ship forward; the stream or prow.(Naut.)
  2. 2.
    One who rows in the forward part of a boat; the bow oar.(Naut.)
Phrases & compounds
Bow chaser — a gun in the bow for firing while chasing another vessel.
Bow piece — a piece of ordnance carried at the bow of a ship.
On the bow — on that part of the horizon within 45° on either side of the line ahead.