bend

Etymology

Definitions

1. 1

   To cause (something) to change its shape into a curve, by physical force, chemical…

   To cause (something) to change its shape into a curve, by physical force, chemical action, or any other means.

   • If you bend the pipe too far, it will break.
   • Don’t bend your knees.
2. 2

   To become curved.

   • Look at the trees bending in the wind.
3. 3

   To cause to change direction.

   • Bend thine ear to supplication.
   • Towards Coventry bend we our course.
   • bending her eyes on the floor
4. ›+ 29 more definitionsshow fewer

   1. 4

      To change direction.

      • The road bends to the right.
   2. 5

      To be inclined

      To be inclined; to direct itself.

      • to whom our vows and wishes bend
   3. 6

      To stoop.

      • He bent down to pick up the pieces.
   4. 7

      To bow in prayer, or in token of submission.

      • Each to his great Father bends.
   5. 8

      To force to submit.

      • They bent me to their will.
      • Of liegers for her sweet, and which she after Except she bend her humour, shall be assured To taste of too.
      • Leviathan: You cannot conceive of a galaxy that bends to your will. Leviathan: Every creature, every nation, every planet we discovered became our tools. We were above the concerns of lesser species.
   6. 9

      To submit.

      • I am bending to my desire to eat junk food.
   7. 10

      To apply to a task or purpose.

      • He bent the company's resources to gaining market share.
      • And I remember one great Miniſter that confeſt to me, when he fell into one of his uſual Fits of the Gout, He was no longer able to bend his mind or thoughts to any Publick Buſineſs, [...]
      • when to mischief mortals bend their will
   8. 11

      To apply oneself to a task or purpose.

      • He bent to the goal of gaining market share.
   9. 12

      To adapt or interpret to for a purpose or beneficiary.

      • Palladius did not lie, although he might have bent the facts a bit and even passed over in silence whatever might not have benefited his client's cause.
   10. 13

       To tie, as in securing a line to a cleat

       To tie, as in securing a line to a cleat; to shackle a chain to an anchor; make fast.

       • Bend the sail to the yard.
   11. 14

       To smoothly change the pitch of a note.

       • You should bend the G slightly sharp in the next measure.
   12. 15

       To swing the body when rowing.

   13. 16

       A curve.

       • There's a sharp bend in the road ahead.
       • I hear the train a comin'/It's rolling round the bend
   14. 17

       Any of the various knots which join the ends of two lines.

       • A simpler version of the common bend with its ends in the same direction is used to join binder twine in a hay baling machine.
   15. 18

       A severe condition caused by excessively quick decompression, causing bubbles of nitrogen…

       A severe condition caused by excessively quick decompression, causing bubbles of nitrogen to form in the blood; decompression sickness.

       • A diver who stays deep for too long must ascend very slowly in order to prevent the bends.
   16. 19

       One of the honourable ordinaries formed by two diagonal lines drawn from the dexter chief…

       One of the honourable ordinaries formed by two diagonal lines drawn from the dexter chief to the sinister base; it generally occupies a fifth part of the shield if uncharged, but if charged one third.

   17. 20

       Turn

       Turn; purpose; inclination; ends.

       • Farewell, poor swain; thou art not for my bend.
   18. 21

       In the leather trade, the best quality of sole leather

       In the leather trade, the best quality of sole leather; a butt; sometimes, half a butt cut lengthwise.

   19. 22

       Hard, indurated clay

       Hard, indurated clay; bind.

   20. 23

       The thickest and strongest planks in a ship's sides, more generally called wales, which…

       The thickest and strongest planks in a ship's sides, more generally called wales, which have the beams, knees, and futtocks bolted to them.

   21. 24

       The frames or ribs that form the ship's body from the keel to the top of the sides.

       • the midship bends
   22. 25

       A glissando, or glide between one pitch and another, especially one accomplished by…

       A glissando, or glide between one pitch and another, especially one accomplished by bending a string (such as on guitar).

   23. 26

       A ghost town and former railway community in central British Columbia, Canada. Named…

       A ghost town and former railway community in central British Columbia, Canada. Named after a 90-degree curve in the railway line.

   24. 27

       A census-designated place in Tehama County, California, United States.

   25. 28

       An unincorporated community in Maries County, Missouri, United States.

   26. 29

       A city, the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States.

       • Many locals thought doing so contradicted the democratic spirit of skiing, where strangers sharing a lift chair might include both billionaires with second homes in Bend and ski bums living in vans.
   27. 30

       An unincorporated community in Meade County, South Dakota, United States.

   28. 31

       An unincorporated community in Lampasas County and San Saba County, Texas, United States.

   29. 32

       A surname.

The neighborhood

• synonymbend
• synonymbow
• synonymcourb
• synonymcurb
• synonymcurl
• synonymcurve
• synonymcrook
• synonymflex
• synonymincurvate
• antonymstraighten
• antonymrectify
• antonymunbend
• antonymuncoil
• antonymuncurl
• antonymunfold
• antonymunroll
• neighborform
• neighborarch
• neighborcoil
• neighborfrizzle
• neighborroll up
• neighborrebend
• neighborrecurve
• neighborinbend
• neighborinflect
• neighborbent