bow
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology 1
From Old English boga, from Proto-Germanic *bugô. Cognate with Dutch boog, German Bogen, Swedish båge, Danish bue.
[edit] Pronunciation
- (RP) enPR: bō, IPA: /bəʊ/, SAMPA: /b@U/
- (US) enPR: bō, IPA: /boʊ/, SAMPA: /boU/
- Rhymes: -əʊ
- Homophone: beau
[edit] Noun
bow (plural bows)
- A weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows.
- A curved bend in a rod or planar surface, or in a linear formation such as a river (see oxbow).
- A rod with horsehair (or an artificial substitute) stretched between the ends, used for playing various stringed musical instruments.
- A stringed instrument, similar to the item described above.
- A type of knot with two loops, used to tie together two cords such as shoelaces or apron strings, and frequently used as decoration, such as in gift-wrapping.
[edit] Synonyms
- (bow-shaped bend): arc, bend, curve
- (tool for playing stringed instruments): fiddlestick
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
weapon used for shooting arrows
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bend in a rod or planar surface
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rod used for playing stringed instruments
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musical bow — see musical bow
type of knot with two loops
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[edit] Verb
bow (third-person singular simple present bows, present participle bowing, simple past and past participle bowed)
- To play music on (a stringed instrument) using a bow.
- The musician bowed his violin expertly.
- (intransitive) To become bent or curved.
- The shelf bowed under the weight of the books.
- (transitive) To make something bend or curve.
[edit] Translations
to play music on using a bow
to become bent
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to bend a thing
[edit] Etymology 2
From Old English būgan, from Proto-Germanic *beuganan. Cognate with Dutch buigen, German biegen.
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
bow (plural bows)
- A gesture, usually showing respect, made by bending forward at the waist.
- He bowed politely as he entered the room.
- A debut
- The new product will make its bow on the world market this summer.
- 1832, “Literary Notices”, The Rail-Road Journal, volume 1, number 1, page 123:
- The first named one, it will be observed, is but a debutant. It makes its bow in a drab-colored Quaker-looking dress, and barring a lively McGrawler-like critique upon " Lewis' Poems," is staid and professorial in its tone.
[edit] Translations
gesture made by bending forward at the waist
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[edit] Verb
bow (third-person singular simple present bows, present participle bowing, simple past and past participle bowed)
- (intransitive) To bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference.
- 1900, L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
- The soldier now blew upon a green whistle, and at once a young girl, dressed in a pretty green silk gown, entered the room. She had lovely green hair and green eyes, and she bowed low before Dorothy as she said, "Follow me and I will show you your room."
- 1900, L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
- (transitive and intransitive) To debut.
- 2010 (publication date), Kara Krekeler, "Rebuilding the opera house", West End Word, volume 39, number 26, December 22, 2010 – January 11, 2011, page 1:
- SCP recently announced that How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will bow on the newly renovated stage next December.
- 2010 (publication date), Kara Krekeler, "Rebuilding the opera house", West End Word, volume 39, number 26, December 22, 2010 – January 11, 2011, page 1:
- (intransitive) To defer (to something).
- I bow to your better judgement in the matter.
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
to bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked
[edit] Etymology 3
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
bow (plural bows)
[edit] Synonyms
- (of a ship): prow
[edit] Antonyms
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
front of a boat or ship
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[edit] See also
- coll'arco
- curtsy
- kowtow
- Wikipedia article on bows (weapons)
- Wikipedia article on bows used to play string instruments
- Wikipedia article on bows (the knots)
- Wikipedia article on musical bows
- Wikipedia article on bows, the gestures of respect
- Wikipedia article on the bows of ships
Bow in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.

