Webster's English Dictionary

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bow

1. bow \'bau.\ vb [ME bowen, fr. OE bu-gan; akin to OHG biogan to bend, 
   Skt]bhujati he bends 1: SUBMIT, YIELD  2: to bend the head, body, or knee 
   in reverence, submission, or shame  3: to incline the head or body in 
   salutation, assent, or to acknowledge ap plause 1: to cause to incline  2: 
   to incline (as the head) esp. in respect or submission  3: to crush with or 
   as if with a heavy burden  4a: to express by bowing  4b: to usher in or out 
   with a bow 
2. bow n : a bending of the head or body in respect, submission, assent, or 
   salutat ion
3. bow \'bo-\ n [ME bowe, fr. OE boga; akin to OE bu-gan] 1a: something 
   bent into a simple curve : BEND, ARCH  1b: RAINBOW  2: a weapon made of a 
   strip of flexible material (as wood) with a cord conn ecting the two ends 
   and holding the strip bent and used to propel an arrow 3: BOWMAN, ARCHER  
   4a: a metal ring or loop forming a handle (as of a key)  4b: a knot formed 
   by doubling a ribbon or string into two or more loops  4c: BOW TIE  4d: a 
   frame for the lenses of eyeglasses; also : the curved sidepie ce of the 
   frame passing over the ear 5a: a resilient wooden rod with horsehairs 
   stretched from end to end used i n playing an instrument of the viol or 
   violin family 5b: a stroke of such a bow 
4. bow \'bo-\ vi 1: to bend into a curve  2: to play a stringed musical 
   instrument with a bow  1: to bend into a curve  2: to play (a stringed 
   instrument) with a bow 
5. bow \'bau.\ n [prob. fr. Dan bov shoulder, bow, fr. ON bo-gr; akin to OE 
   bo]-g bough 1: the forward part of a ship  2: BOWMAN