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bend
bend / bend/ • v. (past bent / bent/ ) 1. [tr.] shape or force (something straight) into a curve or angle: the rising wind bent the long grass. ∎ [intr.] (of something straight) be shaped or forced into a curve or angle: the oar bent as Lance heaved angrily at it. ∎ fig. force or be forced to submit: [tr.] they want to bend me to their will [intr.] a refusal to bend to mob rule. ∎ [intr.] (of a road, river, or path) deviate from a straight line in a specified direction; have a sharply curved course: the road bent left and then right. 2. [intr.] (of a person) incline the body downward from the vertical: he bent down and picked her up I bent over my plate. ∎ [tr.] move (a jointed part of the body) to an angled position: extend your left leg and bend your right. 3. [tr.] interpret or modify (a rule) to suit oneself or somebody else: we cannot bend the rules, even for Darren. 4. [tr.] direct or devote (one's attention or energies) to a task: Eric bent all his efforts to persuading them to donate some blankets. • n. 1. a curve, esp. a sharp one, in a road, river, racecourse, or path. 2. a curved or angled part or form of something: making a bend in the wire. 3. a kind of knot used to join two ropes, or to tie a rope to another object, e.g. a carrick bend. 4. (the bends) decompression sickness, esp. in divers. PHRASES: bend someone's ear inf. talk to someone, esp. with great eagerness or in order to ask a favor: she regularly bent Michael's ear with her problems. bend one's elbow drink alcohol. bend one's (or the) knee fig. submit: a country no longer willing to bend its knee to foreign powers. bend over backwardsee backward. on bended knee (or knees) kneeling, esp. when pleading or showing great respect. around the bend inf. crazy; insane: I'd tell you if you were going around the bend. DERIVATIVES: bend·a·ble adj. bend2 • n. Heraldry an ordinary in the form of a broad diagonal stripe from top left (dexter chief) to bottom right (sinister base) of a shield or part of one. |
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Cite this article
"bend." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "bend." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-bend005.html "bend." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-bend005.html |
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bend
bend.
1. The generic maritime name for a knot which is used to join two ropes or hawsers together or to attach a rope or cable to an object. In strict maritime meaning, a knot is one which entails unravelling the strands of a rope and tucking them over and under each other, such as in a stopper knot, and is akin to a splice in this respect. Bends, which are also known hitches, have a variety of different forms designed to perform a particular function on board ship. When used as a verb, it is the operation aboard a ship of joining one rope to another or to some other object, originally with a bend or hitch. It is also used still to describe the attachment of sails to the spars or forestays of sailing vessels and yachts, though in fact more modern methods are employed for doing so. Also, a cable is still bent to an anchor even though it is in fact joined to it by an iron shackle. 2. In sailing vessels, the chock of the bowsprit. |
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"bend." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "bend." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-bend.html "bend." The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea. 2006. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O225-bend.html |
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bend
bend in heraldry, an ordinary in the form of a broad diagonal stripe from top left (dexter chief) to bottom right (sinister base) of a shield or part of one.
bend sinister a broad diagonal stripe from top right to bottom left of a shield (a supposed sign of bastardy). |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "bend." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "bend." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-bend.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "bend." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-bend.html |
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bend
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "bend." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "bend." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-bend.html T. F. HOAD. "bend." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-bend.html |
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bend
bend v. attach (a sail or rope) by means of a knot: sailors were bending sails to the spars.
n. (the bends) decompression sickness, especially in divers. |
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"bend." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "bend." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-bend.html "bend." The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military. 2001. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O63-bend.html |
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bend
bend2 bow, curve. OE. bendan (also ‘bind, fetter’) = MHG. benden, ON. benda :- Gmc. *bandjan, f. *band- BAND1.
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Cite this article
T. F. HOAD. "bend." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "bend." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-bend1.html T. F. HOAD. "bend." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-bend1.html |
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bend
bend
•command, demand, remand
•reprimand • countermand
•amend, append, apprehend, ascend, attend, befriend, bend, blend, blende, commend, comprehend, condescend, contend, depend, emend, end, expend, extend, fend, forfend, friend, impend, interdepend, lend, mend, misapprehend, misspend, offend, Oostende, Ostend, perpend, portend, rend, reprehend, scrag-end, send, spend, subtend, suspend, tail end, tend, transcend, trend, underspend, upend, vend, weekend, wend
•U-bend • dividend • bookend
•ill-omened • bin-end • stipend
•penfriend • boyfriend • girlfriend
•godsend • parascend • repetend
•ingrained, self-contained, self-restrained, self-sustained, unascertained, unconstrained, undertrained, undrained, unexplained, unfeigned, unrestrained, unstained, unstrained, unsustained, untrained
•crackbrained • harebrained
•featherbrained • tearstained
•fiend, unscreened, unweaned
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Cite this article
"bend." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 25 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "bend." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 25, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-bend.html "bend." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-bend.html |
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