bow

¹

[ bou ]

verb (used without object)

1. to bend the knee or body or incline the head, as in reverence, submission, salutation, recognition, or acknowledgment.
2. to yield; submit:

   to bow to the inevitable.

   Synonyms: capitulate, comply, acquiesce, defer, accede, surrender

3. to bend or curve downward; stoop:

   the pines bowed low.

verb (used with object)

1. to bend or incline (the knee, body, or head) in worship, submission, respect, civility, agreement, etc.:

   He bowed his head to the crowd.

2. to cause to submit; subdue; crush.
3. to cause to stoop or incline:

   Age had bowed his head.

4. to express by a bow:

   to bow one's thanks.

5. to usher (someone) with a bow (usually followed by in, out, etc.):

   They were bowed in by the footman.

6. to cause to bend; make curved or crooked.

noun

1. an inclination of the head or body in salutation, assent, thanks, reverence, respect, submission, etc.

verb phrase

1. to resign a position or withdraw from a job, competition, obligation, etc.:

   He bowed out after two terms as governor.

bow

²

[ boh ]

noun

1. a flexible strip of wood or other material, bent by a string stretched between its ends, for shooting arrows:

   He drew the bow and sent the arrow to its target.

2. an instrument resembling this, used for various purposes, as rotating a drill or spindle, or loosening entangled or matted fibers.
3. a bend or curve.
4. Also called bowknot. a looped knot composed of two or more loops and two ends, as for tying together the ends of a ribbon or string.
5. any separate piece of looped, knotted, or shaped gathering of ribbon, cloth, paper, etc., used as a decoration, as on a package, dress, or the like.
6. a long rod, originally curved but now nearly straight, with horsehairs stretched from one end to the other, used for playing on a musical instrument of the violin and viol families.
7. a single movement of such a device over the strings of a violin, viol, or the like.
8. bow tie ( def 1 ).
9. something curved or arc-shaped.
10. a saddlebow.
11. an archer; bowman:

    He is the best bow in the county.

12. temple ²( def 3 ).
13. a U -shaped piece for placing under an animal's neck to hold a yoke.
14. Building Trades. a flexible rod used for laying out large curves.
15. the part of a key grasped by the fingers.
16. the loop on the stem of a watch by which the watch is attached to a chain or the like.
17. a rainbow.

adjective

1. curved outward at the center; bent:

   bow legs.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to bend into the form of a bow; curve.
2. Music. to perform by means of a bow upon a stringed instrument.
3. Textiles Obsolete. to loosen by passing a vibrating bow among entangled fibers.

bow

³

[ bou ]

noun

1. Nautical, Aeronautics.
   1. the forward end of a vessel or airship.
   2. either side of this forward end, especially with reference to the direction of a distant object:

      a mooring two points off the port bow.

2. bows, Nautical. the exterior of the forward end of a vessel, especially one in which the hull slopes back on both sides of the stem.
3. the foremost oar in rowing a boat.
4. Also called bowman, bow oar. the person who pulls the foremost oar.

adjective

1. of or relating to the bow of a ship.

Bow

⁴

[ boh ]

noun

1. Clara, 1905–65, U.S. film actress: known as the “It Girl.”

Bow

¹

/ bəʊ /

noun

1. BowClara19051965MUSFILMS AND TV: actress Clara , known as the It Girl . 1905–65, US film actress, noted for her vivacity and sex appeal

bow

²

/ baʊ /

noun

1. nautical
   1. often plural the forward end or part of a vessel
   2. ( as modifier )

      the bow mooring line

2. rowing short for bowman 2
3. on the port bow
   nautical within 45 degrees to the port of straight ahead
4. on the starboard bow
   nautical within 45 degrees to the starboard of straight ahead
5. a shot across someone's bows informal.
   a warning

bow

³

/ bəʊ /

noun

1. a weapon for shooting arrows, consisting of an arch of flexible wood, plastic, metal, etc bent by a string ( bowstring ) fastened at each end See also crossbow
2. 1. a long slightly curved stick across which are stretched strands of horsehair, used for playing the strings of a violin, viola, cello, or related instrument
   2. a stroke with such a stick
3. 1. a decorative interlacing of ribbon or other fabrics, usually having two loops and two loose ends
   2. the knot forming such an interlacing; bowknot
4. 1. something that is curved, bent, or arched
   2. ( in combination )

      rainbow

      oxbow

      saddlebow

5. a person who uses a bow and arrow; archer
6. 1. a frame of a pair of spectacles
   2. a sidepiece of the frame of a pair of spectacles that curls round behind the ear
7. a metal ring forming the handle of a pair of scissors or of a large old-fashioned key
8. architect part of a building curved in the form of a bow See also bow window

verb

1. to form or cause to form a curve or curves
2. to make strokes of a bow across (violin strings)

bow

⁴

/ baʊ /

verb

1. to lower (one's head) or bend (one's knee or body) as a sign of respect, greeting, assent, or shame
2. to bend or cause to bend; incline downwards
3. intr; usually foll by to or before to comply or accept

   bow to the inevitable

4. tr; foll by in, out, to etc to usher (someone) into or out of a place with bows and deference

   the manager bowed us to our car

5. tr; usually foll by down to bring (a person, nation, etc) to a state of submission
6. bow and scrape
   to behave in an excessively deferential or obsequious way

noun

1. a lowering or inclination of the head or body as a mark of respect, greeting, or assent
2. take a bow
   to acknowledge or receive applause or praise

Other Words From

• bowedness noun
• bowing·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of bow¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb bowen, Old English būgan; cognate with Dutch buigen, German biegen, Gothic biugan, Old Norse buga

Origin of bow²

First recorded before 1000; Middle English noun boue, bouwe, Old English boga; cognate with Dutch boog, German Bogen, Old Norse bogi; akin to bow ¹

Origin of bow³

First recorded in 1620–30; from Low German noun boog or Dutch boeg or Danish bov; bough

Word History and Origins

Origin of bow¹

C15: probably from Low German boog ; related to Dutch boeg , Danish bov ship's bow, shoulder; see bough

Origin of bow²

Old English boga arch, bow; related to Old Norse bogi a bow, Old High German bogo , Old Irish bocc , and bow ¹

Origin of bow³

Old English būgan , related to Old Norse bjūgr bent, Old High German biogan to bend, Dutch buigen

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. bow and scrape, to be excessively polite or deferential.
2. bows on, (of a ship) with the bow foremost:

   The vessel approached us bows on.

3. bows under, (of a ship) shipping water at the bow:

   The ship was bows under during most of the storm.

4. make one's bow, to appear publicly for the first time, as a performer, politician, etc.:

   The young pianist made her bow last night to an appreciative audience.

5. on the bow, Nautical. within 45° to the heading of the vessel.
6. take a bow, to step forward or stand up in order to receive recognition, applause, etc.:

   The conductor had the soloists take a bow.

More idioms and phrases containing bow

• take a bow
• two strings to one's bow

Synonym Study

See bend ¹.

Example Sentences

Creepy thing to wrap up in festive paper and a bow and give to a newborn baby, yeah?

From The Daily Beast

Well, the only way Dexter could have been tied up in a bow was if the last episode would have been the last episode of Season 4.

From The Daily Beast

The way it was executed was maybe not satisfying to people, and it was in no way tied up in a bow.

From The Daily Beast

An older bro wore a red bow tie and a yarmulke emblazoned with the “TEAM MITCH” logo as he stared down at his smartphone intently.

From The Daily Beast

Bop had produced self-conscious artists who refused to bow to conventional assumptions of what was entertaining.

From The Daily Beast

He would fear what he did not understand, and he would bow down and pay homage to what he feared.

From Project Gutenberg

And with another bow the man from Paris drew himself erect, turned on his heel, and went jingling and creaking from the room.

From Project Gutenberg

To the invitation to precede him she readily responded, and, with a bow to the Seneschal, she began to walk across the apartment.

From Project Gutenberg

And thou didst bow thyself to women: and by thy body thou wast brought under subjection.

From Project Gutenberg

A primitive savage makes a bow and arrow in a day: it takes him a fortnight to make a bark canoe.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• accept
• acquiesce
• bend
• capitulate
• comply
• defer
• give in
• kowtow
• relent
• succumb
• surrender
• yield