bend
bend (bend)
transitive verb bent, bending bend′·ing
- 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
Etymology: 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 bend′·able adjective
round the bend
bend (bend)
noun
- any of various knots used to tie one rope to another or to something else
- Tanning one half of a trimmed hide
Etymology: ME < bend
bend (bend)
noun
Etymology: OFr bende: see band
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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