v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bended or Bent p. pr. & vb. n. Bending. ] [ AS. bendan to bend, fr. bend a band, bond, fr. bindan to bind. See Bind, v. t., and cf. 3d & 4th Bend. ] 1. To strain or move out of a straight line; to crook by straining; to make crooked; to curve; to make ready for use by drawing into a curve; as, to bend a bow; to bend the knee. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To turn toward some certain point; to direct; to incline. “Bend thine ear to supplication.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Towards Coventry bend we our course. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bending her eyes . . . upon her parent. Sir W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To apply closely or with interest; to direct. [ 1913 Webster ]

To bend his mind to any public business. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

But when to mischief mortals bend their will. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To cause to yield; to render submissive; to subdue. “Except she bend her humor.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Naut.) To fasten, as one rope to another, or as a sail to its yard or stay; or as a cable to the ring of an anchor. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

To bend the brow, to knit the brow, as in deep thought or in anger; to scowl; to frown. Camden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To lean; stoop; deflect; bow; yield. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To be moved or strained out of a straight line; to crook or be curving; to bow. [ 1913 Webster ]

The green earth's end
Where the bowed welkin slow doth bend. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To jut over; to overhang. [ 1913 Webster ]

There is a cliff, whose high and bending head
Looks fearfully in the confined deep. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To be inclined; to be directed. [ 1913 Webster ]

To whom our vows and wished bend. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To bow in prayer, or in token of submission. [ 1913 Webster ]

While each to his great Father bends. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Bend, v. t., and cf. Bent, n. ] 1. A turn or deflection from a straight line or from the proper direction or normal position; a curve; a crook; as, a slight bend of the body; a bend in a road. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Turn; purpose; inclination; ends. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Farewell, poor swain; thou art not for my bend. Fletcher. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Naut.) A knot by which one rope is fastened to another or to an anchor, spar, or post. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Leather Trade) The best quality of sole leather; a butt. See Butt. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Mining) Hard, indurated clay; bind. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. pl. (Med.) same as caisson disease. Usually referred to as the bends. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bends of a ship, the thickest and strongest planks in her sides, more generally called wales. They have the beams, knees, and foothooks bolted to them. Also, the frames or ribs that form the ship's body from the keel to the top of the sides; as, the midship bend. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. bend. See Band, and cf. the preceding noun. ] 1. A band. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ OF. bende, bande, F. bande. See Band. ] (Her.) One of the honorable ordinaries, containing a third or a fifth part of the field. It crosses the field diagonally from the dexter chief to the sinister base. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bend sinister (Her.), an honorable ordinary drawn from the sinister chief to the dexter base. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being bent. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. to reproduce by the Benday method. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, bends. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An instrument used for bending. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A drunken spree. [ Low, U. S. ] Bartlett. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A sixpence. [ Slang, Eng. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The marking of the clothes with stripes or horizontal bands. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Bend + -let: cf. E. bandlet. ] (Her.) A narrow bend, esp. one half the width of the bend. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. (Her.) Diagonally. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ From Bend a band. ] (Her.) Divided into an even number of bends; -- said of a shield or its charge. Cussans. [ 1913 Webster ]