bow
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: bows · bowing · bowed
Sense 1
A weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows.
Noun
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
A curved bend in a rod or planar surface, or in a linear formation such as a river (see oxbow).
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
To play music on (a stringed) instrument using a bow.
Verb
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 4
To bend or curve, particularly downward.
Verb
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “bow” mean?
A weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows.
Is “bow” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.