n. [ OE. bowe, boge, AS. boga, fr. AS. būgan to bend; akin to D. boog, G. bogen, Icel. bogi. See Bow, v. t. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow. [ 1913 Webster ]

I do set my bow in the cloud. Gen. ix. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A weapon made of a strip of wood, or other elastic material, with a cord connecting the two ends, by means of which an arrow is propelled. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. An ornamental knot, with projecting loops, formed by doubling a ribbon or string. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The U-shaped piece which embraces the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Mus.) An appliance consisting of an elastic rod, with a number of horse hairs stretched from end to end of it, used in playing on a stringed instrument. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. An arcograph. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. (Mech. & Manuf.) Any instrument consisting of an elastic rod, with ends connected by a string, employed for giving reciprocating motion to a drill, or for preparing and arranging the hair, fur, etc., used by hatters. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. (Naut.) A rude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea. [ 1913 Webster ]

9. (Saddlery) sing. or pl. Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bow bearer (O. Eng. Law), an under officer of the forest who looked after trespassers. --
Bow drill, a drill worked by a bow and string. --
Bow instrument (Mus.), any stringed instrument from which the tones are produced by the bow. --
Bow window (Arch.) See Bay window. --
To draw a long bow, to lie; to exaggerate. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Icel. bōgr shoulder, bow of a ship. See Bough. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (Naut.) The bending or rounded part of a ship forward; the stream or prow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Naut.) One who rows in the forward part of a boat; the bow oar. [ 1913 Webster ]

Bow chaser (Naut.), a gun in the bow for firing while chasing another vessel. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

--
Bow piece, a piece of ordnance carried at the bow of a ship. --
On the bow (Naut.), on that part of the horizon within 45° on either side of the line ahead. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Bowed p. pr. & vb. n. Bowing. ] [ OE. bowen, bogen, bugen, AS. būgan (generally v. i.); akin to D. buigen, OHG. biogan, G. biegen, beugen, Icel. boginn bent, beygja to bend, Sw. böja, Dan. böie, bugne, Coth. biugan; also to L. fugere to flee, Gr. &unr_;, and Skr. bhuj to bend. √88. Cf. Fugitive. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to inflect; to make crooked or curved. [ 1913 Webster ]

We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind of tyranny. Prescott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline. [ 1913 Webster ]

Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Not to bow and bias their opinions. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To bend or incline, as the head or body, in token of respect, gratitude, assent, homage, or condescension. [ 1913 Webster ]

They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 2 Kings ii. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress, ;&unr_; to crush; to subdue. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Bowed p. pr. & vb. n. Bowing. ] To play (music) with a bow. -- v. i. To manage the bow. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To bend; to curve. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To stop. [ Archaic ] [ 1913 Webster ]

They stoop, they bow down together. Is. xlvi. 2&unr_; [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To bend the head, knee, or body, in token of reverence or submission; -- often with down. [ 1913 Webster ]

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. Ps. xcv. 6. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To incline the head in token of salutation, civility, or assent; to make bow. [ 1913 Webster ]

Admired, adored by all circling crowd,
For wheresoe'er she turned her face, they bowed. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. An inclination of the head, or a bending of the body, in token of reverence, respect, civility, or submission; an obeisance; as, a bow of deep humility. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Capable of being bowed or bent; flexible; easily influenced; yielding. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One born within hearing distance of Bow-bells; a cockney. Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. The bells of Bow Church in London; cockneydom. [ 1913 Webster ]

People born within the sound of Bow-bells are usually called cockneys. Murray's Handbook of London. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Bent, like a bow. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]