bow Hear it!

bow¹ Definition

bow (bo̵u)

intransitive verb

  1. Dialectal to bend or stoop
  2. to bend down one's head or bend one's body in respect, agreement, worship, recognition, etc.
  3. to yield or submit, as to authority
  4. to express assent, greeting, etc. by bowing

Etymology: ME bouen < OE bugan, to bend < IE base *bheugh-, to bend > Ger biegen; the bow is 17th c.

transitive verb

  1. Dialectal to bend
  2. to bend (one's head) down in respect, prayer, shame, etc.
  3. to indicate (agreement, thanks, etc.) by bowing
  4. to weigh (down); overwhelm; crush the president was bowed down by the burdens of office

noun

a bending down of the head or body, as in respect or greeting

bow¹ Idioms

bow and scrape

to be too polite and ingratiating

bow out

to leave or retire formally or ceremoniously

bow out

or bow in

to usher out (or in) with a bow

take a bow

to acknowledge an introduction, applause, etc. as by bowing

bow² Definition

bow (bō)

noun

  1. anything curved or bent a rainbow, oxbow
  2. a curve; bend
  3. a device for shooting arrows, made of a flexible, curved strip of wood, metal, etc. with a tightly drawn cord connecting the two ends
  4. an archer
    1. a slender stick strung along its length with horsehairs, drawn across the strings of a violin, cello, etc. to play it
    2. a stroke with such a bow
  6. a bowknot or a decorative knot, as of ribbon, with two or more loops
  7. either of the sidepieces of a pair of glasses extending over the ears; temple

Etymology: ME boue < OE boga < PGmc *boga < base of bow

adjective

bow-shaped; curved; bent

transitive verb, intransitive verb

  1. to bend or curve in the shape of a bow the wall bowed outward from the pressure
  2. Music to play (a violin, etc.) with a bow

bow³ Definition

bow (bo̵u)

noun

  1. the front part of a ship, boat, or airship; prow
  2. the rower nearest the bow
  3. Naut. a direction at a 45° angle left or right from dead ahead a whale sighted on the port bow

Etymology: ME boue < LowG or Scand: LowG būg, Du boeg, Swed bog, shoulder, shoulders of a ship, bows; akin to bough

bow Synonyms

bow

n.

longbow, self-bow, union bow, crossbow, single-piece bow, back bow, stone-bow, arbalest, arbalist; see also weapon 1.

bow Synonyms

bow

n.

  1. Front of a boat

    forepart, bowsprit, prow, head, stem, fore, nose; see also front 1.

  2. A bend from the waist

    nod, bend, salaam, curtsey, obeisance, kowtow, genuflection, bowing and scraping, bob, dip.

take a bow

accept praise, be congratulated, feel honored, acknowledge applause, bow.

bow Synonyms

bow

v.

  1. To bend

    curtsey, do obeisance, stoop, dip, nod, drop, hunch over, incline, bob, duck, cower, kowtow, salaam, kneel, genuflect, prostrate oneself, bow and scrape.

    Antonyms rise*, tower, become erect.

  2. To submit

    bend, surrender, acquiesce, capitulate; see yield 1, 3.

bow Usage Examples

Object

  • thruster: October with fred bow thrusters three many works of.
  • lute: Satar - a long-necked bowed lute with one melodic and eight to twelve sympathetic metal strings.
  • knee: I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.

Converse of object

  • recurve: There is a range of bows to suit, both right and left handed, traditional recurve long bows and modern compound bows.

Adjective modifier

  • starboard: At the time of attack the lights of the Red Cross Ship Newfoundland were visible, about 10 miles distant on the starboard bow.
  • graceful: With a graceful bow, they left their treasures behind and departed Spain.

Modifies a noun

  • thruster: However your choice of bow thruster size may be dictated by the pre-installed tube size.
  • tie: I once had to borrow a white bow tie from a hall porter in an hotel in Venice.
  • saw: Clear hawthorn and other scrub using bow saws and loppers and burn cuttings on a bonfire.
  • ty: Personalized Height Chart - Frog How many bow ties can you see?
  • visor: Looking forward over the bow visor... ...as the waves break over it!
  • rudder: The bow rudder for control in the wee rocky bits.

Noun used with modifier

  • violin: Across her knees she flexes a large saw with one hand, while in the other she holds a violin bow.
  • satin: By rice and satin bows does mere man become aware of weddings.
  • organza: Once you are happy with the design, duplicate it, laminate it and dress it up with a tassle or an organza bow.
  • ribbon: Arms and neckline are trimmed with decadent baby blue and white ruffled lace and a cream ribbon bow.
  • wow: Cancer screening for dogs makes a wow bow in Bedfordshire An innovative cancer screen for dogs has made a wow bow in Bedfordshire.

Particle object:

  • thyself: Thou shalt not bow down thyself nor serve them... Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.

Preposition: in

  • adoration: Before Him, the one God in three Persons, we bow in adoration.

Followed by an intransitive particle

  • down: Shall I bow down to a block of wood?
bow Quotes

Ane bow that is ay bent Worthis ay unsmart and dullis on the string; Sa dois the mynd that is ay diligent In ernistfull thochtis and in studying.

—Henryson, Robert

Bow, bow, ye lower middle classes! Bow, bow, ye tradesmen, bow ye masses!

—Gilbert, Sir W(illiam) S(chwenck)

Bring me my bow of burning gold! Bring me myarrows of desire! Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold! Bring me my chariot of fire!

—Blake,William

   Kneel to nobody; bow to everyone.

—Skelton, Robin

The bow was made in England, Of true wood, of yew wood, The wood of English bows.

—Doyle, SirArthur Conan

He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

—Bible (Old Testament)

He maketh wars to cease in all the world: he breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spear in sunder, and burneth the chariots in the fire. Be still then, and know that I am God.

—Book of Common Prayer

A certain man drewa bowat a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Skullion had little use for contraceptives at the best of times.Unnatural, he called them, and placed them in the lower social category of things along with elastic-sided boots and made-up bow ties. Not the sort of attire for a gentleman.

—Sharpe,Tom (Thomas Ridley)

I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be fora token of a covenant between me and the earth.

—Bible (Old Testament)

And God spake all these words, saying,Iamthe L thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that isinheaven above, or that isin the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the L thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thoushalt nottakethename of the L thy God invain; for the L will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember thesabbath day, to keep it holy. Six daysthou shalt labour and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the L thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the L made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the L blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long uponthelandwhichtheL thy Godgiveththee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

—Bible (Old Testament)

What could have made her peaceful with a mind That nobleness made simple as a fire, With beauty like a tightened bow, a kind That is not natural in an age like this, Being high and solitary and most stern? Why, what could she have done, being what she is? Was there anotherTroy for her to burn?

—Yeats,W(illiam) B(utler)