Definitions for: Bow


[n] a stroke with a curved piece of wood with taut horsehair strands that is used in playing stringed instruments
[n] a slightly curved piece of resilient wood with taut horsehair strands, used in playing certain stringed instrument
[n] curved piece of resilient wood with taut cord to propel arrows
[n] front part of a vessel or aircraft; "he pointed the bow of the boat toward the finish line"
[n] a knot with two loops and loose ends; used to tie shoelaces
[n] a decorative interlacing of ribbons
[n] an appearance by actors or performers at the end of the concert or play in order to acknowledge the applause of the audience
[n] bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame
[n] something curved in shape
[v] submit or yield to another's wish or opinion; "The government bowed to the military pressure"
[v] bend one's knee or body, or lower one's head; "He bowed before the King"; "She bowed her head in shame"
[v] play on a string instrument
[v] bend the head or the upper part of the body in a gesture of respect or greeting; "He bowed before the King"
[v] bend one's back forward from the waist on down; "he crouched down"; "She bowed before the Queen"; "The young man stooped to pick up the girl's purse"



Webster (1913) Definition: Bow (bou), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bowed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Bowing.] [OE. bowen, bogen, bugen, AS. b[=u]gan (generally
v. i.); akin to D. buigen, OHG. biogan, G. biegen, beugen,
Icel. boginn bent, beygja to bend, Sw. b["o]ja, Dan. b["o]ie,
bugne, Coth. biugan; also to L. fugere to flee, Gr. ?, and
Skr. bhuj to bend. [root]88. Cf. Fugitive.]
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. --Milton.

The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind
of tyranny. --Prescott.

2. To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to
bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.

Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion.
--Bacon.

Not to bow and bias their opinions. --Fuller.

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. --2 Kings ii.
15.

4. To cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress,;? to
crush; to subdue.

Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave.
--Shak.

5. To express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks.


Bow (bou), v. i.
1. To bend; to curve. [Obs.]

2. To stop. [Archaic]

They stoop, they bow down together. --Is. xlvi. 2?

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. --Ps. xcv. 6.

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.
--Dryden.


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 (b[=o]), n. [OE. bowe, boge, AS. boga, fr. AS.
b[=u]gan to bend; akin to D. boog, G. bogen, Icel. bogi. See
Bow, v. t.]
1. Anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow.

I do set my bow in the cloud. --Gen. 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.

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 (b[=o]), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Bowed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Bowing.]
To play (music) with a bow. -- v. i. To manage the bow.


Bow (b[=o]), n. [Icel. b[=o]gr shoulder, bow of a ship.
See Bough.]
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. --Totten.

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[deg] on either side of the line ahead. --Totten.

Synonyms: accede, arc, bend, bow down, bowing, bowknot, crouch, curtain call, defer, fore, give in, obeisance, prow, stem, stoop, submit

See Also: arm, bow and arrow, bow down, bowstring, buckle under, change posture, conge, congee, cower, crossbow, Cupid's bow, curtsey, curtsey, curtsy, curtsy, curve, curved shape, decoration, down-bow, fiddlestick, flex, front, genuflect, genuflection, genuflexion, gesticulate, gesture, gesture, handbow, huddle, knot, knuckle under, kotow, kowtow, kowtow, limb, longbow, motion, motion, ornament, ornamentation, play, prostrate, rainbow, salaam, scrape, scrape, scraping, squinch, stick, stoop to, stroke, succumb, take a bow, thanks, up-bow, vessel, violin bow, watercraft, weapon, weapon system, yield

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