BOWING • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Bowing

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/bˈoʊɪŋ/ /bˈaʊɪŋ/ Listen

noun

Bowing n. (Mus.)

The act or art of managing the bow in playing on stringed instruments. "Bowing constitutes a principal part of the art of the violinist, the violist, etc."

In hatmaking, the act or process of separating and distributing the fur or hair by means of a bow, to prepare it for felting.

verb

Bow v. t. (past & past part. bowed; pres. part. bowing)

To cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to inflect; to make crooked or curved. "We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness." "The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind of tyranny."

To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline. "Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion." "Not to bow and bias their opinions."

To bend or incline, as the head or body, in token of respect, gratitude, assent, homage, or condescension. "They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him."

To cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress; to crush; to subdue. "Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave."

To express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks.

Bow v. i. (past & past part. bowed; pres. part. bowing)

To play (music) with a bow.

To manage the bow.

See images of 'Bowing'

Etymology of 'Bowing'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Bowing" Quotes from Famous Books

... immense large jug in the shape of a bishop. It was placed on a bracket slab, so that to drink out of the corner of its hat, which was its beak or spout, you were obliged to stoop. This I found he called bowing to his bishop. It contained delicious sangaree, and I bowed to it without being entreated to do so a second time. "Now," said he, "you bloody dog, you have complied like a good fellow with my first request. Your captain dines with me to-morrow; I must ...

— A Sailor of King George • Frederick Hoffman

... his bonnet and bowing to the king, Juan said, "Will you give me the hand of your daughter?" Everybody present was amazed. The princess's face was successively pale and rosy. Juan immediately understood her heart as he stood ...

— Filipino Popular Tales • Dean S. Fansler

... Captain clapping his hands as if in glee, bowing before the silent Chief, almost prostrating himself, in fact. Afterward a brief clasping of hands between the two and the Captain beginning a long harangue in a strange tongue, interrupted now and then by grunts and gutturals from the attentive Indians. Then giving the ...

— Dorothy on a Ranch • Evelyn Raymond

... Zillah's self-control gave way. She broke down utterly, and, bowing her head in her hands on the desk, burst forth into a passion ...

— The Cryptogram - A Novel • James De Mille

... yet round; nothing but the beautiful hair lasted; even grace was gone, so long had she stooped over her father. Sometimes the unwakened heart within her dreamed, as a girl's heart will. Stately visions of Sir Charles Grandison bowing before her,—shuddering fascinations over the image of that dreadful Lovelace,—nothing more real haunted Hitty's imagination. She knew what she had to do in life,—that it was not to be a happy wife or mother, but to waste by a bedridden old man, the only creature on earth she loved ...

— The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. IV, No. 22, Aug., 1859 • Various

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