bows

[bou] Origin

bow

1[bou]
verb (used without object)
1.
to bend the knee or body or incline the head, as in reverence, submission, salutation, recognition, or acknowledgment.
2.
to yield; submit: to bow to the inevitable.
3.
to bend or curve downward; stoop: the pines bowed low.
verb (used with object)
4.
to bend or incline (the knee, body, or head) in worship, submission, respect, civility, agreement, etc.: He bowed his head to the crowd.
5.
to cause to submit; subdue; crush.
6.
to cause to stoop or incline: Age had bowed his head.
7.
to express by a bow: to bow one's thanks.
8.
to usher (someone) with a bow (usually followed by in, out, etc.): They were bowed in by the footman.
EXPAND
9.
to cause to bend; make curved or crooked.
COLLAPSE

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Bows is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.
noun
10.
an inclination of the head or body in salutation, assent, thanks, reverence, respect, submission, etc.
11.
bow out, to resign a position or withdraw from a job, competition, obligation, etc.: He bowed out after two terms as governor.
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.

bowed·ness, noun
bow·ing·ly, adverb

bode, bowed.


1. See bend1. 2. surrender, accede, defer, acquiesce, comply, capitulate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

bow

2[boh]
noun
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.
EXPAND
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.
9.
something curved or arc-shaped.
10.
a saddlebow.
11.
an archer; bowman: He is the best bow in the county.
12.
temple2 (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.
COLLAPSE
adjective
18.
curved outward at the center; bent: bow legs.
verb (used with object), verb (used without object)
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.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English bowe (noun), Old English boga; cognate with Dutch boog, German Bogen, Old Norse bogi; akin to bow1

bowed·ness, noun
bow·less, adjective
bow·like, adjective

bow

3[bou]
noun
1.
Nautical, Aeronautics.
a.
the forward end of a vessel or airship.
b.
either side of this forward end, especially with reference to the direction of a distant object: a mooring two points off the port bow.
2.
bows, Nautical. the exterior of the forward end of a vessel, especially one in which the hull slopes back on both sides of the stem.
3.
the foremost oar in rowing a boat.
4.
Also called bowman, bow oar. the person who pulls that oar.
adjective
5.
of or pertaining to the bow of a ship.
6.
bows on, (of a ship) with the bow foremost: The vessel approached us bows on.
7.
bows under, (of a ship) shipping water at the bow: The ship was bows under during most of the storm.
8.
on the bow, Nautical. within 45° to the heading of the vessel.

Origin:
1620–30; < Low German boog (noun) or Dutch boeg or Danish bov; see bough
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To bows
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

bow
"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.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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