[boh] 
| 1. | a flexible strip of wood or other material, bent by a string stretched between its ends, for shooting arrows: He drew the bow and sent the arrow to its target. |
| 2. | an instrument resembling this, used for various purposes, as rotating a drill or spindle, or loosening entangled or matted fibers. |
| 3. | a bend or curve. |
| 4. | Also called bowknot. a looped knot composed of two or more loops and two ends, as for tying together the ends of a ribbon or string. |
| 5. | any separate piece of looped, knotted, or shaped gathering of ribbon, cloth, paper, etc., used as a decoration, as on a package, dress, or the like. |
| 6. | a long rod, originally curved but now nearly straight, with horsehairs stretched from one end to the other, used for playing on a musical instrument of the violin and viol families. |
| 7. | a single movement of such a device over the strings of a violin, viol, or the like. |
| 8. | bow tie. |
| 9. | something curved or arc-shaped. |
| 10. | a saddlebow. |
| 11. | an archer; bowman: He is the best bow in the county. |
| 12. | temple 2 (def. 3). |
| 13. | a U-shaped piece for placing under an animal's neck to hold a yoke. |
| 14. | Building Trades. a flexible rod used for laying out large curves. |
| 15. | the part of a key grasped by the fingers. |
| 16. | the loop on the stem of a watch by which the watch is attached to a chain or the like. |
| 17. | a rainbow. |
| 18. | curved outward at the center; bent: bow legs. |
| 19. | to bend into the form of a bow; curve. |
| 20. | Music. to perform by means of a bow upon a stringed instrument. |
| 21. | Textiles Obsolete. to loosen by passing a vibrating bow among entangled fibers. |
bow·knot (bō'nŏt')  (click for larger image in new window) n. A knot with large decorative loops. |
