bend
To bend is defined as to give a curve or angle to something, or to hide or misrepresent.
(verb)- An example of to bend is to curve a straw.
- An example of to bend is to leave some facts out of a story.
The definition of a bend is a curve or angle.
(noun)An example of a bend is a twist in the road.
See bend in Webster's New World College Dictionary
- Obsolete to cause tension in (a bow, etc.), as by drawing with a string
- to force (an object) into a curved or crooked form, or (back) to its original form, by turning, pulling, pressing, etc.
- to turn from a straight line: light rays are bent by refraction
- to make submit or give in: to bend another's will to one's wishes
- to turn or direct (one's eyes, attention, energy, etc. to)
- to cause to have a fixed purpose; determine: used in the passive voice: he was bent on success
- to incline or tend (to or toward)
- Naut. to attach; fasten: to bend a signal flag onto a halyard
Origin: ME benden < OE bendan, to confine with a string (< Gmc *bandjan < *bindan > bind); hence, to fetter, bend (a bow)
intransitive verb
- to turn or be turned from a straight line or from some direction or position
- to yield by curving or crooking, as from pressure
- to crook or curve the body from a standing position; stoop (over or down)
- to give in; yield: he bent to her wishes
- Archaic to direct one's attention, energy, etc. (to something)
noun
- a bending or being bent
- a bent or curving part, as of a river
- Naut. a wale: usually used in pl.
Related Forms:
- bendable adjective
noun
- any of various knots used to tie one rope to another or to something else
- Tanning one half of a trimmed hide
Origin: ME < bend
noun
Origin: OFr bende: see band
See bend in American Heritage Dictionary 4
verb bent bent (bĕnt), bend·ing, bends verb, transitive
- To bring (something) into a state of tension: bend a bow.
- a. To cause to assume a curved or angular shape: bend a piece of iron into a horseshoe.b. To force to assume a different direction or shape, according to one's own purpose: “Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events” (Robert F. Kennedy).c. To misrepresent; distort: bend the truth.d. To relax or make an exception to: bend a rule to allow more members into the club.
- To cause to swerve from a straight line; deflect.
- To render submissive; subdue.
- To apply (the mind) closely: “The weary naval officer goes to bed at night having bent his brain all day to a scheme of victory” (Jack Beatty).
- Nautical To fasten: bend a mainsail onto the boom.
- a. To deviate from a straight line or position: The lane bends to the right at the bridge.b. To assume a curved, crooked, or angular form or direction: The saplings bent in the wind.
- To incline the body; stoop.
- To make a concession; yield.
- To apply oneself closely; concentrate: She bent to her task.
- a. The act or fact of bending.b. The state of being bent.
- Something bent: a bend in the road.
- bends Nautical The thick planks in a ship's side; wales.
- bends (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Decompression sickness. Used with the.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English benden
Origin: , from Old English bendan; see bhendh- in Indo-European roots
.noun
- Heraldry A band passing from the upper dexter corner of an escutcheon to the lower sinister corner.
- Nautical A knot that joins a rope to a rope or another object.
Origin:
Origin: Middle English
Origin: , from Old English bend, band,
Origin: and from Old French bende, bande, band (of Germanic origin; see bhendh- in Indo-European roots)
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