bend

[ bend ]

/ bɛnd /

verb (used with object), bent or (Archaic) bend·ed; bend·ing.

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).

verb (used without object), bent or (Archaic) bend·ed; bend·ing.

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

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

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

to yield or submit; give in.

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

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

noun

the act of bending.

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

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.

bends, Nautical.

thick planking immediately below the waterways of a wooden vessel.
the wales of a vessel.

the bends, aeroembolism(def 2).

Idioms for bend

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

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 of bend

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

SYNONYMS FOR bend

1 curve, crook, flex, bow.

3 mold, subdue, influence.

synonym study for bend

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.

OTHER WORDS FROM bend

bend·a·ble, adjective non·bend·ing, adjective re·bend·a·ble, adjective

Words nearby bend

benchmark, benchmark position, benchrest, benchwarmer, benchy, bend, bend dexter, bend one's elbow, bend over backwards, bend sinister, bend someone's ear

Definition for bends (2 of 4)

bend ²

[ bend ]

/ bɛnd /

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 of bend

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

Definition for bends (3 of 4)

Bend

[ bend ]

/ bɛnd /

noun

a city in central Oregon.

Definition for bends (4 of 4)

aeroembolism

[ air-oh-em-buh-liz-uh m ]

/ ˌɛər oʊˈɛm bəˌlɪz əm /

noun Pathology.

an obstruction of the circulatory system caused by air, as may arise during surgery.

Also called the bends, caisson disease, decompression sickness. an acute condition caused by a rapid substantial decrease in atmospheric pressure, as in high-altitude flying and coming up from deep-sea diving, characterized by the formation of nitrogen bubbles in the blood, severe pain in the lungs and joints, and neurological impairment.

Origin of aeroembolism

First recorded in 1935–40; aero- + embolism

Example sentences from the Web for bends

The rule of law, you see, buckles, bends and sometimes crumbles under the weight of racism, sexism, and classism.

What Would Happen if I Got in White Cop’s Face? |Goldie Taylor |December 30, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
She holds up her phone to show a photo of UNDERWOOD looking at her ass as she bends over a Skee-Ball table at Chuck E. Cheese.

Frank Underwood Will Not Tolerate Insubordination in This Olive Garden |Kelly Williams Brown |February 24, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The arc of the moral universe is long, as Martin Luther King, Jr. said, but it bends toward justice.

Mandela and My Son |Yousef Munayyer |December 6, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
But Obama has proven himself to be a pragmatic politician, who bends to pressure as he did in abandoning plans to bomb Syria.

Oliver Stone and Peter Kuznick On How Obama Should Handle the Crisis In Syria |Oliver Stone, Peter Kuznick |October 15, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

The river slinks between lush trees, its bends offering cover to the solitary figure wading across.

Life on the Syrian Border |Melik Kaylan |July 1, 2011 |DAILY BEAST
These are fastened to the tree by means of a bit of tin on the rim, which he bends over into the bark.

Rubber |Edith A. Browne
Before he could formulate the idea that a boat must have been hit in the bends, there were several similar shocks.

Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer |Cyrus Townsend Brady
The effect of the descent of One so high must be to raise the lowliness to which He bends.

The Expositor's Bible: The Psalms, Volume III |Alexander Maclaren
The wind passes and it bends—let the wind, too, pass over the spirit.

The Hills and the Vale |Richard Jefferies
From time to time she rises on her stilts, bends into a ring, seizes her opaline bundle in her mandibles, and chews it gently.

The Natural Philosophy of Love |Remy de Gourmont

British Dictionary definitions for bends (1 of 4)

bends

/ (bɛndz) /

pl n the bends

(functioning as singular or plural) a nontechnical name for decompression sickness

British Dictionary definitions for bends (2 of 4)

aeroembolism

/ (ˌɛərəʊˈɛmbəˌlɪzəm) /

noun

a former name for air embolism

British Dictionary definitions for bends (3 of 4)

bend ¹

/ (bɛnd) /

verb bends, bending or bent

to form or cause to form a curve, as by pushing or pulling

to turn or cause to turn from a particular direction the road bends left past the church

(intr; often foll by down , etc) to incline the body; stoop; bow

to submit or cause to submit to bend before superior force

(tr) to turn or direct (one's eyes, steps, attention, etc)

(tr) to concentrate (the mind); apply oneself closely

(tr) nautical to attach or fasten, as a sail to a boom or a line to a cleat

bend over backwards informal to make a special effort, esp in order to please he bends over backwards to accommodate his customers

bend someone's ear informal to speak at length to an unwilling listener, esp to voice one's troubles

bend the rules informal to ignore rules or change them to suit one's own convenience

noun

a curved part, as in a road or river

nautical a knot or eye in a line for joining it to another or to an object

the act or state of bending

round the bend British slang mad; crazy; eccentric

Derived forms of bend

bendable, adjective

Word Origin for bend

Old English bendan; related to Old Norse benda, Middle High German benden; see bind, band ³

British Dictionary definitions for bends (4 of 4)

bend ²

/ (bɛnd) /

noun

heraldry an ordinary consisting of a diagonal line traversing a shield

Word Origin for bend

Old English bend band ²; see bend 1

Medical definitions for bends (1 of 2)

bends

[ bĕndz ]

n.

decompression sickness

Medical definitions for bends (2 of 2)

bend

[ bĕnd ]

v.

To incline the body; stoop.

Idioms and Phrases with bends

bend

In addition to the idioms beginning with bend

bend one's elbow
bend over backwards
bend someone's ear

also see:

around the bend
crook (bend) one's elbow
on bended knee

Also see underbent.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

bend

verb (used with object), bent or (Archaic) bend·ed; bend·ing.

verb (used without object), bent or (Archaic) bend·ed; bend·ing.