Definition of 'bow'
Word forms: bows, bowing, bowed
1. intransitive verb
2. transitive verb
If you bow your head, you bend it downward so that you are looking toward the ground, for example, because you want to show
respect or because you are thinking deeply about something.
3. intransitive verb
Phrasal verbs:
See bow out
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word forms: bows
countable noun
The front part of a ship is called the bow or the bows. The plural bows can be used to refer either to one or to more than one of these parts.
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word forms: bows
1. countable noun
A bow is a knot with two loops and two loose ends that is used in tying shoelaces and ribbons.
2. countable noun
A bow is a weapon for shooting arrows that consists of a long piece of curved wood with
a string attached to both its ends.
3. countable noun
The bow of a violin or other stringed instrument is a long thin piece of wood with fibers
stretched along it that you move across the strings of the instrument in order to
play it.
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
bow
Word Frequency
bow in American English 1
verb intransitive
2.
4.
to express assent, greeting, etc. by bowing
verb transitive
5. Dialectal
to bend
6.
to bend (one's head) down in respect, prayer, shame, etc.
7.
to indicate (agreement, thanks, etc.) by bowing
noun
9.
a bending down of the head or body, as in respect or greeting
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME bouen < OE bugan, to bend < IE base *bheugh-, to bend > Ger biegen; the bow1 noun is 17th c.
Word Frequency
bow in American English 2
noun
2.
the rower nearest the bow
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME boue < LowG or Scand: LowG būg, Du boeg, Swed bog, shoulder, shoulders of a ship, bows; akin to boughWord Frequency
bow in American English 3
noun
1.
anything curved or bent
a rainbow, oxbow
2.
a curve; bend
3.
4.
an archer
5.
a.
a slender stick strung along its length with horsehairs, drawn across the strings of a violin,
cello, etc. to play it
b.
a stroke with such a bow
6.
a bowknot or a decorative knot, as of ribbon, with two or more loops
7.
either of the sidepieces of a pair of glasses extending over the ears; temple
adjective
8.
bow-shaped; curved; bent
verb transitive, verb intransitive
9.
to bend or curve in the shape of a bow
the wall bowed outward from the pressure
10. Music
to play (a violin, etc.) with a bow
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
bow in British English 1
noun
7.
a lowering or inclination of the head or body as a mark of respect, greeting, or assent
8. See take a bow
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English būgan, related to Old Norse bjūgr bent, Old High German biogan to bend, Dutch buigenWord Frequency
bow in British English 2
noun
1.
a weapon for shooting arrows, consisting of an arch of flexible wood, plastic, metal, etc bent by a string ( bowstring) fastened at each end
See also crossbow 3.
a.
4.
a.
something that is curved, bent, or arched
b.
(in combination)
rainbow
oxbow
saddlebow
5.
a person who uses a bow and arrow; archer
7.
verb
9.
to form or cause to form a curve or curves
10.
to make strokes of a bow across (violin strings)
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English boga arch, bow; related to Old Norse bogi a bow, Old High German bogo, Old Irish bocc, and bow1Word Frequency
bow in British English 3
noun
1. mainly nautical
b.
(as modifier)
the bow mooring line
3. See on the port bow
4. See on the starboard bow
5. See a shot across someone's bows
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
C15: probably from Low German boog; related to Dutch boeg, Danish bov ship's bow, shoulder; see boughExamples of 'bow' in a sentence
bow
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Word lists with
bow
architectural featuresQuick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
Which architectural feature am I?
a domed or vaulted semicircular or polygonal recess, esp at the east end of a church
Which architectural feature am I?
a triangular ornamental feature in the form of a gable, esp as used over a door or window
Which architectural feature am I?
a portico at the west end of a basilica or church, esp one that is at right angles to the nave
Which architectural feature am I?
a stone on the top of a column, pier, or wall that supports an arch or lintel
Which architectural feature am I?
a courtyard surrounded by a cloister
Your score:
Trends of
bow
View usage over:
In other languages
bow
British English: bow
/bəʊ/ NOUN
weapon A bow is a long, curved piece of wood with a string stretched between the two ends, that is used to send arrows through the air.
Some of the riders had bows and arrows.
- American English: bow /ˈbaʊ, ˈboʊ/ weapon
- Arabic: قَوس
- Brazilian Portuguese: arco de flecha
- Chinese: 弓
- Croatian: luk
- Czech: luk
- Danish: bue våben
- Dutch: boog wapen
- European Spanish: arco arma
- Finnish: jousipyssy
- French: arc
- German: Bogen Pfeil
- Greek: τόξο
- Italian: arco
- Japanese: 弓
- Korean: 활
- Norwegian: bue pil-og-bue
- Polish: łuk
- European Portuguese: arco de flecha
- Romanian: arc
- Russian: лук
- Spanish: arco
- Swedish: båge kurva
- Thai: คันธนู
- Turkish: yay
- Ukrainian: лук
- Vietnamese: cung
British English: bow
/baʊ/ VERB
When you bow, you bend your body towards someone as a polite way of saying hello or thanking them.
They all bowed to the king.
- American English: bow /ˈbaʊ/
- Arabic: يَنْحَنِي ل
- Brazilian Portuguese: fazer uma vénia
- Chinese: 鞠躬
- Croatian: nakloniti se
- Czech: uklonit se
- Danish: bukke
- Dutch: buigen knielen
- European Spanish: hacer una reverencia
- Finnish: kumartaa
- French: s’incliner
- German: verbeugen
- Greek: υποκλίνομαι
- Italian: inchinarsi
- Japanese: お辞儀をする
- Korean: 절하다
- Norwegian: bukke
- Polish: ukłonić się
- European Portuguese: fazer uma vénia
- Romanian: a se înclina
- Russian: кланяться
- Spanish: hacer una reverencia
- Swedish: buga (sig)
- Thai: คำนับ, โค้งคำนับ
- Turkish: baş eğme
- Ukrainian: вклонятися
- Vietnamese: cúi chào
- American English: bow /ˈbaʊ, ˈboʊ/
- Arabic: أُنْشُوطَة
- Brazilian Portuguese: laço
- Chinese: 蝴蝶结
- Croatian: mašna
- Czech: kličkana tkaničce
- Danish: sløjfe
- Dutch: strik
- European Spanish: lazo
- Finnish: rusetti
- French: nœud ruban d'emballage
- German: Haarschleife
- Greek: φιόγκος
- Italian: nodo
- Japanese: ちょう結び
- Korean: 매듭
- Norwegian: knute
- Polish: kokardka
- European Portuguese: laço
- Romanian: fundă
- Russian: узел бантик
- Spanish: lazo
- Swedish: knut
- Thai: โบ
- Turkish: papyon
- Ukrainian: бант
- Vietnamese: nơ
Browse alphabetically
bow
Source
Definition of bow from the Collins English Dictionary
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Question: 1
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storm or wind?
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wind
storm
throw caution to the
big or little?
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little
big
twist someone around your finger
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green
black
with envy
calf or cat?
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calf
cat
kill the fatted
hit or miss?
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hit
miss
the jackpot
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blew or blue?
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mail or male?
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mail
male
The company will contact owners by .
rang or rung?
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rung
rang
She has home just once.
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geezer
geyser
Do you know this ?
broke or broken?
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broken
broke
She has a leg in a skiing accident.
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