bend

verb (used with object)

to force (an object, especially a long or thin one) from a straight form into a curved or angular one, or from a curved or angular form into some different form: to bend an iron rod into a hoop.

to direct or turn in a particular direction: to bend one's energies to the task.

to cause to submit or yield: to bend someone to one's will.

to modify or relax (restrictions, regulations, etc.) temporarily or in certain circumstances: to bend the rules.

to incline mentally (usually followed by to or toward ): bending his thoughts back toward his childhood.

to pull back the string of (a bow or the like) in preparation for shooting.

Nautical. to fasten.

Archaic. to strain or brace tensely (often followed by up ).

Relevant Questions

verb (used without object)

to become curved, crooked, or bent: a bow that bends easily.

10.

to assume a bent posture; stoop (often followed by over ): to bend as one walks; to bend over and pick up something.

11.

to turn or incline in a particular direction; be directed: The road bent toward the south.

12.

to yield or submit; give in.

13.

to bow in submission or reverence: bending to one's monarch.

14.

to direct one's energies: We bent to our work as the bell sounded.

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noun

15.

the act of bending.

16.

something that bends; curve; crook: a bend in the road; a bend in the curtain rod.

17.

Nautical. any of various loops or knots for joining the ends of two ropes or the like, or for joining the end of a rope or the like to some other object.

18.

bends, Nautical.

thick planking immediately below the waterways of a wooden vessel.

the wales of a vessel.

19.

the bends, aeroembolism ( def 2 ).

Idioms

20.

around/round the bend, Slang. insane; crazy: These interruptions will send me round the bend!

21.

bend/lean/fall over backward, to exert oneself to the utmost; make a serious effort: They bent over backward to make sure their guests were comfortable.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English benden (v.) Old English bendan to bind, bend (a bow); cognate with Middle High German benden, Old Norse benda; akin to Old Norse band band. See band³

Related forms

bend·a·ble, adjective

non·bend·ing, adjective

re·bend·a·ble, adjective

Synonyms
1. curve, crook, flex, bow. 3. mold, subdue, influence. 10. Bend, bow, stoop imply taking a bent posture. Bend and bow are used of the head and upper body; stoop is used of the body only.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

noun

Heraldry.

a diagonal band extending from the dexter chief of an escutcheon to the sinister base. Compare bend sinister.

in bend, (of a charge) set diagonally or in a diagonal row.

Tanning. half of a trimmed butt or hide.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English: coalescence of Old English bend band (see band³) and Middle French bende band²

noun

a city in central Oregon.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Link To bend

Collins

World English Dictionary

bend¹ (bɛnd)

—vb , bends, bending, bent
1.	to form or cause to form a curve, as by pushing or pulling
2.	to turn or cause to turn from a particular direction: the road bends left past the church
3.	(intr; often foll by down, etc) to incline the body; stoop; bow
4.	to submit or cause to submit: to bend before superior force
5.	(tr) to turn or direct (one's eyes, steps, attention, etc)
6.	(tr) to concentrate (the mind); apply oneself closely
7.	(tr) nautical to attach or fasten, as a sail to a boom or a line to a cleat
8.	informal bend over backwards to make a special effort, esp in order to please: he bends over backwards to accommodate his customers
9.	informal bend someone's ear to speak at length to an unwilling listener, esp to voice one's troubles
10.	informal bend the rules to ignore rules or change them to suit one's own convenience

—n
11.	a curved part, as in a road or river
12.	nautical a knot or eye in a line for joining it to another or to an object
13.	the act or state of bending
14.	slang (Brit) round the bend mad; crazy; eccentric

[Old English bendan; related to Old Norse benda, Middle High German benden; see bind, band³]

'bendable¹

—*adj*

bend² (bɛnd)

—n
	heraldry an ordinary consisting of a diagonal line traversing a shield

[Old English bendband²; see bend¹]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

bend

O.E. bendan "to confine with a string," causative of bindan "to bind," from P.Gmc. base *band- "string, band" (cf. O.N. benda "to join, strain, strive, bend"), from PIE base *bhendh- (cf. Goth. bindan, O.H.G. bintan, Skt. badhnati "binds," Lith. bendras "partner;" O.Pers. bandaka- "subject"). Modern

sense (early 14c.) is via notion of bending a bow to string it. Cognate with band, bind, and bond. The noun meaning "thing of bent shape" is from c.1600. The bends "decompression pain" first attested 1894.

American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

bend (běnd)
v. bent (běnt), bend·ing, bends
To incline the body; stoop.

American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

bend

In addition to the idioms beginning with bend, also see around the bend; crook (bend) one's elbow; on bended knee. Also see under bent.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Encyclopedia

bend

city, seat (1916) of Deschutes county, central Oregon, U.S. It lies along the Deschutes River, in the eastern foothills of the Cascade Range (west), and is bordered by Pilot Butte (east). Laid out in 1904, the community grew after the Deschutes Irrigation and Power Company opened farmland for settlement in 1909. Vast timber resources influenced a railroad boom (1911), sawmills were built, and wood industries developed. Bend is now the headquarters for the Deschutes National Forest and is a centre for tourism because of its proximity to lakes, lava beds, caves, and mountain and ski resorts. Central Oregon Community College was established there in 1949. Newberry National Volcanic Monument, which includes the 6,200-foot- (1,890-metre-) long Lava River Cave, is 12.5 miles (20 km) south of the city. Inc. 1904. Pop. (1990) 20,469; (2000) 52,029.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Matching Quote

"I am settled, and bend up
Each corporal agent to this terrible feat."

-Shakespeare

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Related Words

stoop warp double incline turn bight

buckle crouch deflect elbow flex genuflect

Slang

round the bend bend one's elbow Bend over, here it comes again bend the law drive so around the bend

drive so around the bend elbow-bending fender-bender gender-bender

Idioms & Phrases

bend

around the bend

crook (bend) one's elbow

on bended knee

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