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Bow   /baʊ/  /boʊ/   Listen
noun
Bow  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  n.  
1.
Anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow. "I do set my bow in the cloud."
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.
3.
An ornamental knot, with projecting loops, formed by doubling a ribbon or string.
4.
The U-shaped piece which embraces the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.
5.
(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.
6.
An arcograph.
7.
(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.
8.
(Naut.) A rude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.
9.
(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.
To draw a long bow, to lie; to exaggerate. (Colloq.)


Bow  n.  
1.
(Naut.) The bending or rounded part of a ship forward; the stream or prow.
2.
(Naut.) One who rows in the forward part of a boat; the bow oar.
Bow chaser (Naut.), a gun in the bow for firing while chasing another vessel.
Bow piece, a piece of ordnance carried at the bow of a ship.
On the bow (Naut.), on that part of the horizon within 45° on either side of the line ahead.


verb
Bow  v. t.  (past & past part. bowed; pres. part. bowing)  
1.
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."
2.
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."
3.
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."
4.
To cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress; to crush; to subdue. "Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave."
5.
To express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks.


Bow  v. i.  
1.
To bend; to curve. (Obs.)
2.
To stop. (Archaic) "They stoop, they bow down together."
3.
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."
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  v. i.  (past & past part. bowed; pres. part. bowing)  
1.
To play (music) with a bow.
2.
To manage the bow.





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Bow" Quotes from Famous Books



... following close upon some such enthusiastic moment that Max rose, crossed the room, and taking a violin and bow from where they lay upon a wooden bench against the wall, carried them silently ...
— Max • Katherine Cecil Thurston
... broken; it bursts forth in the banners thick as the gorgeous leaves of the October forests that have blossomed all over eighteen or twenty States; it shows itself in the passion of the noble Union men of the South who will not bow to Baal; it floats on every frigate that rides the sea to protect our shipping; it leaps forth and brightens in the sacred steel which patriots by the hundred thousand are dedicating, not to ravage, not to murder, ...
— Starr King in California • William Day Simonds
... Bow's office of Cotton Loan Agent has been taken away from him for alleged irregularities, the nature of which is not clearly stated by the new Secretary of the Treasury, who announces his removal to the Secretary ...
— A Rebel War Clerk's Diary at the Confederate States Capital • John Beauchamp Jones
... in design was unescapably revealed. A man, save he be fat, i.e., of womanish contours, usually looks better in uniform than in mufti; the tight lines set off his figure. But a woman is at once given away: she look like a dumbbell run over by an express train. Below the neck by the bow and below the waist astern there are two masses that simply refuse to fit into a balanced composition. Viewed from the side, she presents an exaggerated S bisected by an imperfect straight line, and so she ...
— In Defense of Women • H. L. Mencken
... my best, sir," said Mr. Thwaite, making his bow. Thomas Thwaite, as he went along the streets alone, determined that he would perform this new duty imposed upon him without ...
— Lady Anna • Anthony Trollope


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