an inclination of the head or body in salutation, assent, thanks, reverence, respect, submission, etc.
Verb phrase
11.
bow out, to resign a position or withdraw from a job, competition, obligation, etc.: He bowed out after two terms as governor.
Idioms
12.
bow and scrape, to be excessively polite or deferential.
13.
make one's bow, to appear publicly for the first time, as a performer, politician, etc.: The young pianist made her bow last night to an appreciative audience.
14.
take a bow, to step forward or stand up in order to receive recognition, applause, etc.: The conductor had the soloists take a bow.
Origin: before 900; Middle English bowen (v.), Old English būgan; cognate with Dutch buigen; akin to German biegen,Gothic biugan,Old Norse buga, etc.
"front of a ship," mid-14c., from O.N. bogr or M.Du. boech "bow of a ship," lit. "shoulder (of an animal)," the connecting notion being "the shoulders of the ship." See bough.