Bend vs. Bow — What's the Difference?

To cause to assume a curved or angular shape

A knot tied with two loops and two loose ends, used especially for tying shoelaces and decorative ribbons

To bring (a bow, for example) into a state of tension by drawing on a string or line.

A weapon for shooting arrows, typically made of a curved piece of wood joined at both ends by a taut string.

To force to assume a different direction or shape, according to one's own purpose

A long, partially curved rod with horsehair stretched along its length, used for playing the violin and other stringed instruments.

To misrepresent; distort

A curved stroke forming part of a letter (e.g. b, p).

To relax or make an exception to

A metal ring forming the handle of a key or pair of scissors.

To cause to swerve from a straight line; deflect

An act of bending the head or upper body as a sign of respect or greeting

To render submissive; subdue

The front end of a ship

To apply (the mind) closely

Play (a stringed instrument or music) using a bow

(Nautical) To fasten

Bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect, greeting, or shame

To deviate from a straight line or position

Bend with age or under pressure

To assume a curved, crooked, or angular form or direction

(of a new film or product) be premiered or launched

To incline the body; stoop.

The front section of a ship or boat.

To make a concession; yield.

Either of the sides of this front section

To apply oneself closely; concentrate

The oar or the person wielding the oar closest to the bow in a racing shell.

The act or fact of bending.

An inclination of the head or body, as in greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.

The state of being bent.

A bent, curved, or arched object.

Something bent

A weapon consisting of a curved, flexible strip of material, especially wood, strung taut from end to end and used to launch arrows.

A knot that joins a rope to a rope or another object.

An archer.

Bends The thick planks in a ship's side; wales.

Archers considered as a group.

Bends (used with a sing. or pl. verb) Decompression sickness. Used with the.

(Music) A rod having horsehair drawn tightly between its two raised ends, used in playing instruments of the violin and viol families.

A band passing from the upper dexter corner of an escutcheon to the lower sinister corner.

A stroke made by this rod.

(transitive) To cause (something) to change its shape into a curve, by physical force, chemical action, or any other means.

A knot usually having two loops and two ends; a bowknot.

(intransitive) To become curved.

A frame for the lenses of a pair of eyeglasses.

(transitive) To cause to change direction.

The part of such a frame passing over the ear.

(intransitive) To change direction.

A rainbow.

(intransitive) To be inclined; to direct itself.

An oxbow.

To stoop.

To bend or curve downward; stoop.

(intransitive) To bow in prayer, or in token of submission.

To incline the body or head or bend the knee in greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.

(transitive) To force to submit.

To yield in defeat or out of courtesy; submit.

(intransitive) To submit.

To bend (the head, knee, or body) to express greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.

(transitive) To apply to a task or purpose.

To convey (greeting, for example) by bending the body.

(intransitive) To apply oneself to a task or purpose.

To escort deferentially

(transitive) To adapt or interpret to for a purpose or beneficiary.

To cause to acquiesce; submit.

To tie, as in securing a line to a cleat; to shackle a chain to an anchor; make fast.

To overburden

To smoothly change the pitch of a note.

To bend (something) into the shape of a bow.

To swing the body when rowing.

(Music) To play (a stringed instrument) with a bow.

A curve.

To bend into a curve or bow.

Any of the various knots which join the ends of two lines.

(Music) To play a stringed instrument with a bow.

A severe condition caused by excessively quick decompression, causing bubbles of nitrogen to form in the blood; decompression sickness.

A weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows.

(heraldry) One of the honourable ordinaries formed by two diagonal lines drawn from the dexter chief to the sinister base; it generally occupies a fifth part of the shield if uncharged, but if charged one third.

A curved bend in a rod or planar surface, or in a linear formation such as a river (see oxbow).

(obsolete) Turn; purpose; inclination; ends.

A rod with horsehair (or an artificial substitute) stretched between the ends, used for playing various stringed musical instruments.

In the leather trade, the best quality of sole leather; a butt; sometimes, half a butt cut lengthwise.

A stringed instrument (chordophone), consisting of a stick with a single taut cord stretched between the ends, most often played by plucking.

(mining) Hard, indurated clay; bind.

A type of knot with two loops, used to tie together two cords such as shoelaces or apron strings, and frequently used as decoration, such as in gift-wrapping.

The thickest and strongest planks in a ship's sides, more generally called wales, which have the beams, knees, and futtocks bolted to them.

Anything bent or curved, such as a rainbow.

The frames or ribs that form the ship's body from the keel to the top of the sides.

The U-shaped piece which goes around the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.

(music) A glissando, or glide between one pitch and another.

Either of the arms of a pair of spectacles, running from the side of the lens to behind the wearer's ear.

To strain or move out of a straight line; to crook by straining; to make crooked; to curve; to make ready for use by drawing into a curve; as, to bend a bow; to bend the knee.

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 hair, fur, etc., used by hatters.

To turn toward some certain point; to direct; to incline.

(nautical) A crude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.

To apply closely or with interest; to direct.

(saddlery) Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.

To cause to yield; to render submissive; to subdue.

The part of a key that is not inserted into the lock and that is used to turn the key.

To fasten, as one rope to another, or as a sail to its yard or stay; or as a cable to the ring of an anchor.

A gesture, usually showing respect, made by inclining the head or bending forward at the waist; a reverence

To be moved or strained out of a straight line; to crook or be curving; to bow.

(nautical) The front of a boat or ship.

To jut over; to overhang.

(rowing) The rower that sits in the seat closest to the bow of the boat.

To be inclined; to be directed.

Obsolete spelling of bough

To bow in prayer, or in token of submission.

C|en|Foods}} {{alternative form of bao; any of several Chinese buns and breads

A turn or deflection from a straight line or from the proper direction or normal position; a curve; a crook; as, a slight bend of the body; a bend in a road.

To play music on (a stringed) instrument using a bow.

Turn; purpose; inclination; ends.

(intransitive) To become bent or curved.

A knot by which one rope is fastened to another or to an anchor, spar, or post.

(transitive) To make something bend or curve.

The best quality of sole leather; a butt. See Butt.

To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.

Hard, indurated clay; bind.

(intransitive) To bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference.

Same as caisson disease. Usually referred to as the bends.

To debut.

A band.

(intransitive) To defer (to something).

One of the honorable ordinaries, containing a third or a fifth part of the field. It crosses the field diagonally from the dexter chief to the sinister base.

(transitive) To give a direction, indication, or command to by bowing.

A circular segment of a curve;

To cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to inflect; to make crooked or curved.

Movement that causes the formation of a curve

To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.

Curved segment (of a road or river or railroad track etc.)

To bend or incline, as the head or body, in token of respect, gratitude, assent, homage, or condescension.

An angular or rounded shape made by folding;

To cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress,; to crush; to subdue.

A town in central Oregon at the eastern foot of the Cascade Range

To express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks.

Diagonal line traversing a shield from the upper right corner to the lower left

To bend; to curve.

Form a curve;

To stop.

Change direction;

To bend the head, knee, or body, in token of reverence or submission; - often with down.

Cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form;

To incline the head in token of salutation, civility, or assent; to make bow.

Bend one's back forward from the waist on down;

To play (music) with a bow.

Turn from a straight course , fixed direction, or line of interest

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.

Bend a joint;

Anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow.

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.

An ornamental knot, with projecting loops, formed by doubling a ribbon or string.

The U-shaped piece which embraces the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.

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.

An arcograph.

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.

A rude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.

Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.

The bending or rounded part of a ship forward; the stream or prow.

One who rows in the forward part of a boat; the bow oar.

A knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces

A slightly curved piece of resilient wood with taut horsehair strands, used in playing certain stringed instrument

Front part of a vessel or aircraft;

Curved piece of resilient wood with taut cord to propel arrows

Something curved in shape

Bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame

An appearance by actors or performers at the end of the concert or play in order to acknowledge the applause of the audience

A decorative interlacing of ribbons

A stroke with a curved piece of wood with taut horsehair strands that is used in playing stringed instruments

Bend one's knee or body, or lower one's head;

Submit or yield to another's wish or opinion;

Bend the head or the upper part of the body in a gesture of respect or greeting;

Bend one's back forward from the waist on down;

Play on a string instrument