bow

1 of 5

verb (1)

ˈbau̇ 

bowed; bowing; bows

intransitive verb

1

: to cease from competition or resistance : submit, yield

refusing to bow to the inevitable

—John O'Hara

also : to suffer defeat

bowed to the champion

2

: to bend the head, body, or knee in reverence, submission, or shame

Bow before the king.

bowed her head in shame

3

: to incline the head or body in salutation or assent or to acknowledge applause

bowing to the audience

4

: debut

the play will bow next month

transitive verb

1

: to cause to incline

wind bowing the treetops

2

: to incline especially in respect or submission

bow their heads in prayer

3

: to crush with a heavy burden

whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave Shakespeare

4

a

: to express by bending the head, body, or knee : to express by bowing

bowing his appreciation

b

: to usher in or out with a bow (see bow entry 2)

bow

2 of 5

noun (1)

ˈbau̇ 

: a bending of the head or body in respect, submission, assent, or salutation

also : a show of respect or submission

smiled and gave a bow

bow

3 of 5

noun (2)

ˈbō 

1

a

: something bent into a simple curve or arc

b

: rainbow

2

: a weapon that is used to propel an arrow and that is made of a strip of flexible material (such as wood) with a cord connecting the two ends and holding the strip bent

hunting with bow and arrow

3

: archer

4

a

: a metal ring or loop forming a handle (as of a key)

b

: a knot formed by doubling a ribbon or string into two or more loops

c

: bow tie sense 1

d

: a frame for the lenses of eyeglasses

also : the sidepiece of the frame passing over the ear

5

music

a

: a wooden rod with horsehairs stretched from end to end used in playing an instrument of the viol or violin family

b

: a stroke of such a bow

on the up bow

bow

4 of 5

verb (2)

ˈbō 

bowed; bowing; bows

intransitive verb

1

: to bend into a curve

the wall bows a little

2

music : to play a stringed instrument with a bow (see bow entry 3 sense 5a)

transitive verb

1

: to cause to bend into a curve

Years of riding had bowed his legs.

2

music : to play (a stringed instrument) with a bow

bowing the strings

bow

5 of 5

noun (3)

ˈbau̇ 

1

nautical : the forward part of a ship

—often used in plural

crossing the bows

2

nautical : bowman entry 2

Synonyms

Verb (1)

• blink
• budge
• capitulate
• concede
• give in
• knuckle under
• quit
• relent
• submit
• succumb
• surrender
• yield

Noun (2)

• angle
• arc
• arch
• bend
• crook
• curvature
• curve
• inflection
• turn
• wind

Verb (2)

• arc
• arch
• bend
• crook
• curve
• fall off
• hook
• round
• sweep
• swerve
• trend
• wheel

Examples of bow in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Paying your ever-increasing rent, bowing to the whims of trillion-dollar conglomerates that see your work as merely a line on a spreadsheet, and boy, how about that traffic? —Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024

Two giant, shirtless men bow respectfully and then hurl themselves at each other in a violent pas de deux that ends with a victory in seconds. —Victor Mather Todd Heisler, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2024

The Tattooist of Auschwitz will bow on Peacock in the U.S. — and on Sky Atlantic and on the streaming service NOW in the U.K. and Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. —Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024

Israel and Saudi Arabia pleaded for American leadership but defined it as bowing to their own preferences. —Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024

Cowboy Carter also has dibs on the biggest week of 2024 to date, marking the largest opening frame since Taylor Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) bowed with 1.653 million units in November. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 8 Apr. 2024

The album was an instant hit, becoming Beyoncé’s eighth solo album to bow at No. 1 and the biggest debut of 2024 so far. —Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024

Her country music album bowed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, according to Billboard and Luminate. —Kimberly Nordyke, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Apr. 2024

The film bowed on streamer Disney+ Hotstar in India and worldwide excluding India on Netflix in late December 2023 and on Sony’s Indian television channels in February 2024. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024

Noun

Ritchson’s hulking character is an instant scene-stealer, handily killing Nazis with everything from axes to bows and arrows. —Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 20 Apr. 2024

In the film, Lassen is a brutal killer, using a bow and arrow to take down Nazi after Nazi. —Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2024

The movie took its New York bow on Coppola’s 35th birthday, April 7, 1974, a few weeks before its Palme d’Or triumph in Cannes. —Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Apr. 2024

With a long sleeve white dress, she’s seen wearing the Sofia 45 Slide, a modern sandal with a bow adornment and block heel. —Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 16 Apr. 2024

At the same time, crews are working to remove some containers from the cargo ship Dali before lifting steel spans off its bow and refloating the vessel. —Lea Skene, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2024

These fun and fresh oversized bows are the final touch to complete any ensemble–perfect for a daytime statement at the office, or a night out with your girls. —Andrea Navarro, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2024

Wrestlers offered just a quick bow before their matches, rather than the elaborate rituals familiar in Japan, which include stomping to clear the devil out of the ring and throwing salt to kill bad spirits. —Victor Mather Todd Heisler, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2024

The show-stopping owner’s suite features a dedicated bow terrace with a Jacuzzi and infinity lounge. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1) and Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English būgan; akin to Old High German biogan to bend, Sanskrit bhujati he bends

Noun (2) and Verb (2)

Middle English bowe, from Old English boga; akin to Old English būgan

Noun (3)

Middle English bowe, bowgh, probably from Middle Dutch boech bow, shoulder; akin to Old English bōg bough

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (1)

circa 1656, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (3)

1626, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing bow

• a shot across the/someone's bow(s)
• bow and scrape
• bow down to (someone or something)
• bow out
• bow saw
• bow shock
• bow tie
• bow window
• Cupid's bow
• down-bow
• have more than one string to one's bow
• sound bow
• take a bow
• tie a bow
• up-bow

Kids Definition

bow

1 of 5 verb

ˈbau̇ 

1

: to bend the head, body, or knee in greeting, respect, agreement, or obedience

2

: yield entry 1 sense 5

bow to authority

3

: bend entry 1 sense 6

bowed with age

4

: to express by bowing

bow one's thanks

bow

2 of 5 noun

: a bending of the head or body expressing respect, agreement, obedience, or greeting

bow

3 of 5 noun

ˈbō 

1

: rainbow

2

: a weapon used for shooting arrows that is usually made of a strip of wood bent by a cord connecting the two ends

3

: something that is curved like a bow

4

: a wooden rod with horsehairs stretched from end to end used for playing a violin or similar instrument

5

: a knot made with two or more loops

tie the ribbon in a bow

bow

4 of 5 verb

ˈbō 

1

: to bend into a curve

2

: to play a stringed instrument with a bow

bow

5 of 5 noun

ˈbau̇ 

: the forward part of a ship

Etymology

Verb

Middle English bowen "to bend, yield," from Old English būgan "to bend in obedience"

Noun

Middle English bowe "something curved," from Old English boga (same meaning)

Noun

Middle English bowe (same meaning), probably from early Dutch boech "bow, shoulder"

Medical Definition

bow

noun

ˈbō 

: a frame for the lenses of eyeglasses

also : the curved sidepiece of the frame passing over the ear

Geographical Definition

Bow

geographical name

ˈbō 

river 315 miles (507 kilometers) long in southwestern Alberta, Canada, rising in Banff National Park