bend

Plural: bends

Noun

• a circular segment of a curve
  • "a bend in the road"
• movement that causes the formation of a curve
• curved segment (of a road or river or railroad track etc.)
• an angular or rounded shape made by folding
  • "a bend of his elbow"
• a town in central Oregon at the eastern foot of the Cascade Range
• diagonal line traversing a shield from the upper right corner to the lower left
• A curve.
• Any of the various knots which join the ends of two lines.
• A severe condition caused by excessively quick decompression, causing bubbles of nitrogen to form in the blood; decompression sickness.
• One of the honourable ordinaries formed by two diagonal lines drawn from the dexter chief to the sinister base; it generally occupies a fifth part of the shield if uncharged, but if charged one third.
• Turn; purpose; inclination; ends.
• In the leather trade, the best quality of sole leather; a butt; sometimes, half a butt cut lengthwise.
• Hard, indurated clay; bind.
• The thickest and strongest planks in a ship's sides, more generally called wales, which have the beams, knees, and futtocks bolted to them.
• The frames or ribs that form the ship's body from the keel to the top of the sides.
• A glissando, or glide between one pitch and another.

Verb

Verb Forms: bent, bended, bending, bends

• To shape or force something straight into a curve or angle.
• form a curve
  • "The stick does not bend"
• change direction
  • "The road bends"
• cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form
  • "bend the rod"
• bend one's back forward from the waist on down
• turn from a straight course, fixed direction, or line of interest
• bend a joint
  • "bend your knees"
• To cause (something) to change its shape into a curve, by physical force, chemical action, or any other means.
• To become curved.
• To cause to change direction.
• To change direction.
• To be inclined; to direct itself.
• To stoop.
• To bow in prayer, or in token of submission.
• To force to submit.
• To submit.
• To apply to a task or purpose.
• To apply oneself to a task or purpose.
• To adapt or interpret to for a purpose or beneficiary.
• To tie, as in securing a line to a cleat; to shackle a chain to an anchor; make fast.
• To smoothly change the pitch of a note.
• To swing the body when rowing.

Examples

• A diver who stays deep for too long must ascend very slowly in order to prevent the bends.
• Bend the sail to the yard.
• Don’t bend your knees.
• He bent down to pick up the pieces.
• He bent the company's resources to gaining market share.
• He bent to the goal of gaining market share.
• I am bending to my desire to eat junk food.
• If you bend the pipe too far, it will break.
• Look at the trees bending in the wind.
• the midship bends
• The road bends to the right.
• There's a sharp bend in the road ahead.
• They bent me to their will.
• You have to bend the rules of spelling in your mind to see all possible words.
• You should bend the G slightly sharp in the next measure.

Synonyms

bend dexter, bending, bow, crease, crimp, crook, crouch, curve, deflect, deform, flex, flexure, fold, plication, stoop, turn, turn away, twist, bend, courb, curb, curl, incurvate

Antonyms

straighten, unbend, rectify, uncoil, uncurl, unfold, unroll

Related Words

bent, BENDABLE