Etymology : Middle English, from Old English bugan; akin to Old High German biogan to bend, Sanskrit bhujati he bends
Pronunciation : 'bau
Function : verb
Date : before 12th century
1. pertaining to the forward section of a vessel. arc; rainbow; bending forward of the head or body; front end of a ship; rod with horsehair stretched between its two ends (used to play the violin); weapon from which arrows are shot; bowknot. play music using a bow; prostrate one self, bend down. bow\bow\ (bou), v. i.
2. to bend; to curve. [obs.].
3. to stop. [archaic] they stoop, they bow down together. xlvi. 2 .
4. to bend the head, knee, or body, in token of reverence or submission; -- often with down. o come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the lord our maker. xcv.
5. 4. to incline the head in token of salutation, civility, or assent; to make bow. admired, adored by all circling crowd, for wheresoe'er she turned her face, they bowed.bow \bow\ (bou), v. t. [imp. & p. p. bowed ; p. pr. & vb. n. bowing.] [oe. bowen, bogen, bugen, as. būgan (generally v. i.); akin to d. buigen, ohg. biogan, g. biegen, beugen, icel. boginn bent, beygja to bend, sw. b?ja, dan. b?ie, bugne, coth. biugan; also to l. fugere to flee, gr. , and skr. bhuj to bend.
6. cf. fugitive.].
7. to cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to inflect; to make crooked or curved. we bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness. the whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind of tyranny.
8. to exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline. adversities do more bow men's minds to religion. not to bow and bias their opinions.
9. to bend or incline, as the head or body, in token of respect, gratitude, assent, homage, or condescension. they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.
10. 4. to cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress,; to crush; to subdue. whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave.
11. to express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks.bow \bow\ (bou), n. 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.bow \bow\ (bō), n. [oe. bowe, boge, as. boga, fr. as. būgan to bend; akin to d. boog, g. bogen, icel. bogi. see:
bow, v. t.].
12. anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow. i do set my bow in the cloud. ix.
13. 2. 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.
14. an ornamental knot, with projecting loops, formed by doubling a ribbon or string.
15. the u-shaped piece which embraces the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.
16. (mus.) 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.
17. an arcograph.
18. (mech. & manuf.) 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.
19. (naut.) a rude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.
20. (saddlery) sing. or pl. two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.bow bearer (o. eng. law), an under officer of the forest who looked after trespassers.bow drill, a drill worked by a bow and string.bow instrument (mus.), any stringed instrument from which the tones are produced by the bow.bow window (arch.) see:
bay window.
21. To cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to inflect; to make crooked or curved.
22. To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.
23. To bend or incline, as the head or body, in token of respect, gratitude, assent, homage, or condescension.
24. To cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress,;&?; to crush; to subdue.
25. To express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks.
26. To bend; to curve.
27. To stop.
28. To bend the head, knee, or body, in token of reverence or submission; often with down.
29. To incline the head in token of salutation, civility, or assent; to make bow.
30. 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.
31. Anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow.
32. 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.
33. An ornamental knot, with projecting loops, formed by doubling a ribbon or string.
34. The U-shaped piece which embraces the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.
35. 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.
36. An arcograph.
37. 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.
38. A rude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.
39. Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.
40. To play with a bow.
41. To manage the bow.
42. The bending or rounded part of a ship forward; the stream or prow.
43. One who rows in the forward part of a boat; the bow oar. a stroke with a curved piece of wood with taut horsehair strands that is used in playing stringed instruments a slightly curved piece of resilient wood with taut horsehair strands, used in playing certain stringed instrument curved piece of resilient wood with taut cord to propel arrows front part of a vessel or aircraft; "he pointed the bow of the boat toward the finish line" a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces a decorative interlacing of ribbons an appearance by actors or performers at the end of the concert or play in order to acknowledge the applause of the audience bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame something curved in shape bend one's knee or body, or lower one's head; "He bowed before the King"; "She bowed her head in shame" play on a string instrument bend the head or the upper part of the body in a gesture of respect or greeting; "He bowed before the King".
44. American actress whose roles in silent films, such as Mantrap (1926) and It (1927), made her a symbol of the Roaring Twenties. bow and arrow Bow porcelain Bow River Bow Clara Medicine Bow Mountains.