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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



... [408-5] Bow-lines are ropes employed to keep the windward edges of the principal sails steady, and are only used when the wind is so unfavorable that the sails must be all braced sideways, or close ...
— The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985-1503 • Various
... little man leaped into the library. He landed lightly on his feet, quickly turned two hand springs in rapid succession, and then, without breathing in the least rapidly, as most men would have done after that exertion, he made a low bow to Tom ...
— Tom Swift in Captivity • Victor Appleton
... bassinets and hauberks,—every cobbler to his last. But, as thou sayest, to the point: the stout earl, while scanning my workmanship, for in much the chevesail was mine, was pleased to speak graciously of my skill with the bow, of which he had heard; and he then turned to thyself, of whom my Lord Montagu had already made disparaging mention. When I told the earl somewhat more about thy qualities and disposings, and when I spoke ...
— The Last Of The Barons, Complete • Edward Bulwer-Lytton
... de Vaud," said Josephine to the Swiss, whom we met on the landing-place of the stairs, "madame n'est elle pas coeffee a ravir aujourd'hui? C'est que monsieur vient d'assister a la toilette de madame." The Swiss bowed, and said nothing. The bow was to his master, not to me, and it was a bow of duty, not of inclination. I never saw a man look so like a machine; he did not even raise his eyes upon me or my coeffure as ...
— Tales And Novels, Vol. 8 • Maria Edgeworth
... Champion, imposingly, who had a graceful way of handing dishes and a dignified deference in his bow which in his own opinion excused certain attacks of solemn speechlessness and eccentricity of gait ...
— The Giant's Robe • F. Anstey


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