bent

¹

[ bent ]

adjective

1. curved; crooked: a bent stick.

   a bent bow;

   a bent stick.

   Synonyms: rounded, hooked

2. determined; set; resolved (usually followed by on ):

   to be bent on buying a new car.

   Synonyms: intent

3. Chiefly British Slang.
   1. morally crooked; corrupt.
   2. stolen:

      bent merchandise.

   3. unbalanced or crazy; irrational:

      Man, your take on things is so bent I can hardly follow it.

4. Chiefly British Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. gay ( def 1 ).

noun

1. direction taken, as by one's interests; inclination:

   a bent for painting.

   Synonyms: bias, partiality, leaning, penchant, predilection, proclivity, propensity, tendency

2. capacity of endurance:

   to work at the top of one's bent.

3. Civil Engineering. a transverse frame, as of a bridge or an aqueduct, designed to support either vertical or horizontal loads.
4. Archaic. bent state or form; curvature.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of bend ¹.

bent

²

[ bent ]

noun

1. bent grass ( def ).
2. a stalk of bent grass.
3. Scot., North England. (formerly) any stiff grass or sedge.
4. British Dialect. a moor; heath; tract of uncultivated, grassy land, used as a pasture or hunting preserve.

bent

¹

/ bɛnt /

noun

1. short for bent grass
2. a stalk of bent grass
3. archaic.
   any stiff grass or sedge
4. dialect.
   heath or moorland

bent

²

/ bɛnt /

adjective

1. not straight; curved
2. foll by on fixed (on a course of action); resolved (to); determined (to)
3. slang.
   1. dishonest; corrupt
   2. (of goods) stolen
   3. crazy; mad
   4. homosexual

noun

1. personal inclination, propensity, or aptitude
2. capacity of endurance (esp in the phrase to the top of one's bent )
3. civil engineering a framework placed across a structure to stiffen it

Word History and Origins

Origin of bent¹

First recorded in 1350–1400 for the adjective and past tense; past participle of bend ¹

Origin of bent²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; earlier benet-, bunet- (in compounds), Old English beonet-, beonot- (in placenames); cognate with Old High German binuz (compare German Binse ) “the rush plant”

Word History and Origins

Origin of bent¹

Old English bionot ; related to Old Saxon binet , Old High German binuz rush

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. bent (out of shape), Informal. angry or upset: Also bent up.

   I like that you can share your thoughts on stuff and not get bent out of shape if I disagree.

   I don’t know why you’re so bent—I’m just a couple minutes late.

Example Sentences

He also put more than four dozen judges on the federal appeals courts, flipping several circuits to a more conservative bent.

From BBC

It premiered in1953 at the Théâtre de Babylone in Paris and ever since has been endlessly analyzed and explained by academics, critics and theater lovers bent on uncovering its meaning.

From Los Angeles Times

But the outcomes of a list of ballot measures told a more complicated story of a state known for its liberal bent.

From Los Angeles Times

The octogenarian president’s bent posture and halted speaking manner didn’t reassure many Democrats, even as they pointed to the many verbal miscues of Trump, just three years his junior.

From Los Angeles Times

Both see Beijing as being bent on trying to eclipse America as the most consequential power.

From BBC