Definition of BENT

bent

Plural: bents

Noun

  • A natural talent or inclination for something.
  • a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
  • grass for pastures and lawns especially bowling and putting greens
  • an area of grassland unbounded by fences or hedges
  • a special way of doing something
    • "he had a bent for it"
  • An inclination or talent.
  • A predisposition to act or react in a particular way.
  • The state of being curved, crooked, or inclined from a straight line; flexure; curvity.
  • A declivity or slope, as of a hill.
  • Particular direction or tendency; flexion; course.
  • A transverse frame of a framed structure; a subunit of framing.
  • Such a subunit as a component of a barn's framing, joined to other bents by girts and summer beams.
  • A transverse frame of a framed structure; a subunit of framing.
  • Such a subunit as a reinforcement to, or integral part of, a bridge's framing.
  • Tension; force of acting; energy; impetus.
  • Any of various stiff or reedy grasses.
  • A grassy area, grassland.
  • The old dried stalks of grasses.

Verb

  • form a curve
  • change direction
  • cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular form
  • bend one's back forward from the waist on down
  • turn from a straight course, fixed direction, or line of interest
  • bend a joint
  • simple past and past participle of bend

Adjective Satellite

  • fixed in your purpose
    • "bent on going to the theater"
  • used of the back and knees; stooped
    • "with bent (or bended) back"
  • of metal e.g.
    • "bent nails"

Adj

  • Folded, dented.
  • Corrupt, dishonest.
  • Homosexual.
  • Determined or insistent; inclined, set.
  • Annoyed; out of sorts; having a bee in one's bonnet.
  • leading a life of crime.
  • Inaccurately aimed.
  • Suffering from the bends.
  • High from both marijuana and alcohol.

Examples

  • He had a natural bent for painting.
  • He was bent on going to Texas, but not even he could say why.
  • His mind was of a technical bent.
  • Man, I am so bent right now!
  • She had a bent for finding obscure words that no one dared to challenge.
  • She was bent about "certain kinds of people" having civil rights; she wanted to roll those back.
  • That shot was so bent it left the pitch.
  • the bent of a bow
  • the top of one's bent
  • They were bent on mischief.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English bent-, preterite stem (as in bente, benten, etc.), and Middle English bent, ibent, ybent, past participle forms of Middle English benden (“to bend”). Equivalent to bend + -t.

Synonyms

bend, bended, bent grass, bent on, bent-grass, bow, crouch, crumpled, dead set, deflect, deform, dented, flex, hang, knack, out to, set, stoop, turn, turn away, twist, bentgrass, crooked, disposition, hell-bent, homophile, homosexual, like that, predilection, proclivity, propensity, queer, similisexual, that way

Antonyms

straighten, unbend

Scrabble Score: 6

bent: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
bent: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
bent: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 8

bent: valid Words With Friends Word