bend

1 of 3

verb

bent ˈbent How to pronounce bend (audio) ; bending

transitive verb

1
: to constrain or strain to tension by curving
bend a bow
2
a
: to turn or force from straight or even to curved or angular
bend a pipe
b
: to force from a proper shape
Her bicycle's back wheel got bent in the crash.
c
: to force back to an original straight or even condition
bend the wire flat
3
: fasten
bend a sail to its yard
4
a
: to cause to turn from a straight course : deflect
bend a ray of light with a mirror
b
: to guide or turn toward : direct
bends his rapid steps in the direction of the headquarters …O. Henry
c
: incline, dispose
bending their minds to the Buddhist concept of eternityChristopher Rand
d
: to adapt to one's purpose : distort
bend the rules
5
: to direct strenuously or with interest : apply
bent himself to the task
6
: to make submissive : subdue
refusing to be bent

intransitive verb

1
: to curve out of a straight line or position
The road bends to the left.
tree limbs bending under the weight of the snow
bent down to pick up a piece of paper
bending double with pain
specifically : to incline the body in token of submission
bend to the queen
2
: to apply oneself vigorously
bending to their work
3
: incline, tend
She bends to the Left politically.
4
: compromise sense 2
refusing to bend under pressure to change
bending to the will of wealthy supporters
bendable adjective

bend

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural bends
1
: the act or process of bending
doing knee bends
: the state of being bent
the graceful bends of Gothic windows
2
: something that is bent: such as
a
: a curved part of a path (as of a stream or road)
Their house is down the road, just past the bend.
b
nautical : wale entry 1 sense 2
usually used in plural

see also the bends

bend

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
heraldry : a diagonal band that runs from the dexter chief (see chief entry 3 sense 1) to the sinister base (see base entry 1 sense 8) on a heraldic shield compare bend sinister
2
[Middle English, band, from Old English bend fetter — more at band] : a knot by which one rope is fastened to another or to some object
Phrases
bend one's ear
: to talk to someone at length
bend over backward or bend over backwards
: to make extreme efforts
had to bend over backward to get these tickets
around the bend or British round the bend
: mentally unsound
appears to have gone around the bend

Examples of bend in a Sentence

Verb bend a wire into a circle bend the cable around a wheel He bent the bow and shot an arrow from it. His glasses got bent when he dropped them. The trees were bending in the wind. The branch will bend before it breaks. She bent down to pick up a piece of paper and then she straightened up again. He bent back to look up at the ceiling. bend to the left and then bend to the right
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Note that since the seat is low to the ground, caregivers will have to bend over quite a bit to get the baby in and out. Chaunie Brusie, Rn, Parents, 7 Mar. 2024 The Panthers shouldn’t just bend to Burns’ demands, but the front office also needs to be mindful that Burns is a top-three player on the team, and his cap number could put a stranglehold on their ability to upgrade multiple positions if the tag lingers into free agency. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 5 Mar. 2024 Starboard has a companion, named Port—the two male orcas are named after the directions each of their dorsal fins bend. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024 Wisteria, known as fuji in Japanese, may only be the country's second most famous flower, but thanks to their ability to bend, wisteria can be turned into large tunnels of blue, pink, purple, and white, making for a kaleidoscopic spectacle to stroll among. Talia Avakian, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024 Observations of the solar eclipse more than 100 years ago confirmed Albert Einstein's theory that light bends in the presence of a massive object, a fact that's foundational to physics. The Indianapolis Star, 29 Feb. 2024 Stay in the stretch, side bending with your pelvis tucked, for three to five breaths. Dana Santas, CNN, 27 Feb. 2024 And if history is any guide, Tokyo will bend to that American pressure. Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Certain people in the world can manipulate those elements using a power known as bending. Dana Feldman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024
Noun
Surprises emerge around every bend in the forms of oak thickets, quartz deposits, errant water birds and lakeside riparian vegetation. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 7 Mar. 2024 Coming around the bend is Gemini Ultra, an update of the original model which the company is still working on. Amrita Khalid, The Verge, 30 Jan. 2024 There’s a period of the bends and depressurizing, on top of how well the last one did. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023 Her long, blonde hair has just a hint of bend to it, and her matte makeup is truly flawless. Marci Robin, Allure, 14 Nov. 2023 In 1912, a Mediterranean Revival-style residence was built in the heart of Montecito, at the outside bend of a narrow lane barely wider than a horse and buggy. Mark David, Robb Report, 22 Feb. 2024 Around each bend are spire-like hoodoos shooting hundreds of feet skyward, deep dark caves and pastel-gray volcanic columns. Pete Zimowsky, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024 The atmosphere refracts, or bends, the reddish light toward the moon, which reflects it with a red glow. Carlie Procell, The Courier-Journal, 25 Jan. 2024 Cover the first two-thirds of the shank with thread from the hook eye toward the bend. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 17 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bend.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English bendan; akin to Old English bend fetter — more at band

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Middle French bende, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German binta, bant band — more at band

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of bend was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near bend

Cite this Entry

“Bend.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bend. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bend

1 of 2 verb
bent ˈbent How to pronounce bend (audio) ; bending
1
: to pull tight
bend a bow
2
: to curve or cause a change of shape
bend a wire into a circle
3
: to turn in a certain direction
bent their steps toward town
4
: to apply or apply oneself closely
she bent herself to the task
5
: to curve out of line
the road bends to the left
6
: to curve downward : stoop
bend over and pick it up

bend

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act or process of bending : the state of being bent
2
: something (as a curved part of a stream) that is bent
3
plural : a severe disorder marked by pain (as in joints), by difficulty in breathing, and often by collapsing and caused by release of gas bubbles (as of nitrogen) in the tissues upon too rapid a change from an environment of high air pressure to one of lower air pressure

called also caisson disease, decompression sickness

Geographical Definition

Bend

geographical name

city on the Deschutes River in central Oregon population 76,639

More from Merriam-Webster on bend

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