View synonyms for bent

bent

[ bent ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

curved; crooked: a bent stick.
a bent bow;
a bent stick.
Synonyms: rounded, hooked
determined; set; resolved (usually followed by on ):
to be bent on buying a new car.
Synonyms: intent
Chiefly British Slang.
1. morally crooked; corrupt.
2. stolen:
  bent merchandise.
3. unbalanced or crazy; irrational:
  Man, your take on things is so bent I can hardly follow it.
Chiefly British Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. gay ( def 1 ).

noun

direction taken, as by one's interests; inclination:
a bent for painting.
Synonyms: bias, partiality, leaning, penchant, predilection, proclivity, propensity, tendency
capacity of endurance:
to work at the top of one's bent.
Civil Engineering. a transverse frame, as of a bridge or an aqueduct, designed to support either vertical or horizontal loads.
Archaic. bent state or form; curvature.

verb

the simple past tense and past participle of bend ¹.

bent

[ bent ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

bent grass ( def ).
a stalk of bent grass.
Scot., North England. (formerly) any stiff grass or sedge.
British Dialect. a moor; heath; tract of uncultivated, grassy land, used as a pasture or hunting preserve.

bent

/ bɛnt /

noun

short for bent grass
a stalk of bent grass
archaic.
any stiff grass or sedge
dialect.
heath or moorland

bent

/ bɛnt /

adjective

not straight; curved
foll by on fixed (on a course of action); resolved (to); determined (to)
slang.
1. dishonest; corrupt
2. (of goods) stolen
3. crazy; mad
4. homosexual

noun

personal inclination, propensity, or aptitude
capacity of endurance (esp in the phrase to the top of one's bent )
civil engineering a framework placed across a structure to stiffen it

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Word History and Origins

Origin of bent¹

First recorded in 1350–1400 for the adjective and past tense; past participle of bend ¹

Origin of bent²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; earlier benet-, bunet- (in compounds), Old English beonet-, beonot- (in placenames); cognate with Old High German binuz (compare German Binse ) “the rush plant”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of bent¹

Old English bionot ; related to Old Saxon binet , Old High German binuz rush

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

bent (out of shape), Informal. angry or upset: Also bent up.
I like that you can share your thoughts on stuff and not get bent out of shape if I disagree.
I don’t know why you’re so bent—I’m just a couple minutes late.

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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