bowsomething bent, curved, or arched; a knot usually having two ends and two loops: She tied her sash into a bow.Not to be confused with:beau ? boyfriend of a girl or woman: I think my sister has a beau.bowthe front section of a ship or boat; to bend the body, head, or knee as in greeting: bow to the king; submit: bow to a requestNot to be confused with:bough ? tree branch: They hung the swing from the largest bough.Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embreebow 1 (bou)n. Nautical 1. The front section of a ship or boat.2. Either of the sides of this front section: the starboard bow.3. The oar or the person wielding the oar closest to the bow in a racing shell.[Middle English boue, probably of Low German origin; see bheug- in Indo-European roots.]bow 2 (bou)v. bowed, bow·ing, bows v.intr.1. To bend or curve downward; stoop.2. To incline the body or head or bend the knee in greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.3. To yield in defeat or out of courtesy; submit. See Synonyms at yield.v.tr.1. To bend (the head, knee, or body) to express greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.2. To convey (greeting, for example) by bending the body.3. To escort deferentially: bowed us into the restaurant.4. To cause to acquiesce; submit.5. To overburden: Grief bowed them down.n. An inclination of the head or body, as in greeting, consent, courtesy, acknowledgment, submission, or veneration.Phrasal Verb: bow out To remove oneself; withdraw.Idiom: bow and scrape To behave obsequiously.[Middle English bowen, from Old English b?gan; see bheug- in Indo-European roots.]bow 3 (b?)n.1. A bent, curved, or arched object.2. A weapon consisting of a curved, flexible strip of material, especially wood, strung taut from end to end and used to launch arrows.3. a. An archer.b. Archers considered as a group.4. a. Music A rod having horsehair drawn tightly between its two raised ends, used in playing instruments of the violin and viol families.b. A stroke made by this rod.5. A knot usually having two loops and two ends; a bowknot.6. a. A frame for the lenses of a pair of eyeglasses.b. The part of such a frame passing over the ear.7. A rainbow.8. An oxbow.v. bowed, bow·ing, bows v.tr.1. To bend (something) into the shape of a bow.2. Music To play (a stringed instrument) with a bow.v.intr.1. To bend into a curve or bow.2. Music To play a stringed instrument with a bow.[Middle English bowe, from Old English boga; see bheug- in Indo-European roots.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.bow (ba?) vb1. to lower (one’s head) or bend (one’s knee or body) as a sign of respect, greeting, assent, or shame2. to bend or cause to bend; incline downwards3. (intr; usually foll by to or before) to comply or accept: bow to the inevitable. 4. (tr; foll by in, out, to etc) to usher (someone) into or out of a place with bows and deference: the manager bowed us to our car. 5. (tr; usually foll by down) to bring (a person, nation, etc) to a state of submission6. bow and scrape to behave in an excessively deferential or obsequious wayn7. a lowering or inclination of the head or body as a mark of respect, greeting, or assent8. take a bow to acknowledge or receive applause or praise[Old English b?gan, related to Old Norse bj?gr bent, Old High German biogan to bend, Dutch buigen]bow (b??) n1. (Archery) 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 crossbow2. (Instruments) a. a long slightly curved stick across which are stretched strands of horsehair, used for playing the strings of a violin, viola, cello, or related instrumentb. a stroke with such a stick3. (Knots) a. a decorative interlacing of ribbon or other fabrics, usually having two loops and two loose endsb. the knot forming such an interlacing; bowknot4. a. something that is curved, bent, or archedb. (in combination): rainbow; oxbow; saddlebow. 5. (Archery) a person who uses a bow and arrow; archer6. (Medicine) a. a frame of a pair of spectaclesb. a sidepiece of the frame of a pair of spectacles that curls round behind the ear7. (Antiques) a metal ring forming the handle of a pair of scissors or of a large old-fashioned key8. (Architecture) architect part of a building curved in the form of a bow. See also bow windowvb9. to form or cause to form a curve or curves10. (Classical Music) to make strokes of a bow across (violin strings)[Old English boga arch, bow; related to Old Norse bogi a bow, Old High German bogo, Old Irish bocc, and bow1]bow (ba?) n1. (Nautical Terms) chiefly nautical a. (often plural) the forward end or part of a vesselb. (as modifier): the bow mooring line. 2. (Nautical Terms) rowing short for bowman3. (Nautical Terms) on the port bow nautical within 45 degrees to the port of straight ahead4. (Nautical Terms) on the starboard bow nautical within 45 degrees to the starboard of straight ahead5. a shot across someone’s bows informal a warning[C15: probably from Low German boog; related to Dutch boeg, Danish bov ship’s bow, shoulder; see bough]Bow (b??) n (Biography) Clara, known as the It Girl. 1905?65, US film actress, noted for her vivacity and sex appealCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014bow1 (ba?) v.i. 1. to bend the knee or body or incline the head, as in reverence, submission, or salutation. 2. to yield; submit: to bow to the inevitable. 3. to bend or curve downward; stoop: The pines bowed low. v.t. 4. to bend or incline (the knee, body, or head) in worship, submission, respect, civility, etc. 5. to cause to submit; subdue; crush. 6. to cause to stoop or incline. 7. to express by a bow: to bow one’s thanks. 8. to usher (someone) with a bow: They were bowed in by the footman. 9. to cause to bend; make curved or crooked. 10. bow out, to withdraw by choice, as from a task; retire. n. 11. an inclination of the head or body in salutation, assent, thanks, reverence, submission, etc. Idioms: bow and scrape, to be excessively polite or deferential. [before 900; Middle English bowen (v.), Old English b?gan; c. Dutch buigen] bow2 (bo?) n. 1. a flexible strip of wood or other material, bent by a string stretched between its ends, for shooting arrows. 2. a bend or curve. 3. a readily loosened knot for joining the ends of a ribbon or string, having two projecting loops. 4. a loop or gathering of ribbon, paper, etc., used as a decoration. 5. a flexible rod having horsehairs stretched from end to end, used for playing a musical instrument of the viol or violin families. 6. something curved or arc-shaped. 7. an archer; bowman. 8. temple 2 (def. 2). 9. rainbow. 10. a U-shaped piece for placing under an animal’s neck to hold a yoke. adj. 11. curved outward at the center; bent: bow legs. v.t., v.i. 12. to bend into the form of a bow; curve. 13. to perform with a bow on a stringed instrument. [before 1000; Middle English bowe (n.), Old English boga] bow?less, adj. bow3 (ba?) n. 1. the forward end of a vessel or airship. 2. the foremost oar in rowing a boat. adj. 3. of or pertaining to the bow of a ship. [1620?30;