- Bowed
- Bow 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}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. To cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to
inflect; to make crooked or curved.
[1913 Webster]
We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind of tyranny. --Prescott. [1913 Webster]
2. To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline. [1913 Webster]
Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
Not to bow and bias their opinions. --Fuller. [1913 Webster]
3. To bend or incline, as the head or body, in token of respect, gratitude, assent, homage, or condescension. [1913 Webster]
They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. --2 Kings ii. 15. [1913 Webster]
4. To cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress,;? to crush; to subdue. [1913 Webster]
Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
5. To express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
