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Search results for 'bow':

bow1 verb (bowed, bowing) 1 (also bow down) to bend (the head or the upper part of the body) forwards and downwards • bow one's head. 2 (also sometimes bow down before someone or something) intrans to bend the head or the upper part of the body forwards and downwards, usually as a sign of greeting, respect, shame, etc or to acknowledge applause. 3 to express (eg thanks or acceptance) with a bow. 4 (usually bow to something) to accept or submit to it, especially unwillingly. noun an act of bowing. bow and scrape derog to behave with excessive politeness or deference. take a bow to acknowledge applause or recognition.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon bugan to bend.

bow something or someone down to crush it or them down.

bow down to someone to agree to obey them, or to submit to them.

bow someone in or out, etc to usher them in or out, etc with a formal or respectful bow.

bow out to stop taking part; to retire or withdraw.

bow2 noun 1 a a knot made with a double loop, to fasten the two ends of a lace, ribbon, or string, etc; b a lace, ribbon or string, etc tied in such a knot; c a looped knot of ribbons, etc used to decorate anything. 2 a weapon made of a piece of flexible curved wood or other material, bent by a string stretched between its two ends, for shooting arrows. 3 a long, thin piece of wood with horsehair stretched along its length, for playing the violin or cello, etc. 4 a single stroke or movement (up or down) of the bow while playing the violin or cello, etc. Also in compounds • up-bow • down-bow. 5 anything which is curved or bent in shape, eg a rainbow. verb (bowed, bowing) 1 tr & intr to bend or make something bend into a curved shape. 2 a to use a bow on (a violin or cello, etc); b intrans in playing a stringed instrument: to use the bow; c to play (a passage, etc) with a specified kind of bowing; d to make (written music) with up-bows and down-bows. bowing noun 1 the technique of using the bow when playing a stringed instrument. 2 a manner or style of using the bow.
ETYMOLOGY: Anglo-Saxon boga an arch or bow (senses 2 and 5).

bow3 naut noun 1 (often bows) the front part of a ship or boat. 2 rowing the rower nearest the bow. on the bow within 45° of the point right ahead.
ETYMOLOGY: 17c: from German dialect boog or Dutch boeg a ship's bow, or a shoulder.