bend
13 ENTRIES FOUND:
Britannica Dictionary definition of BEND
1
a
[+ object]
:
to use force to cause (something, such as a wire or pipe) to become curved
-
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.
b
[no object]
:
to curve out of a straight line or position
— sometimes used figuratively
-
The road bends [=curves, turns] to the left.
-
The trees were bending in the wind.
-
The branch will bend before it breaks.
-
The branches of the fruit tree were bending under their own weight. [=were bending because they were so heavy]
-
She refused to bend under pressure to change her decision.
-
a politician accused of bending to the will of wealthy supporters [=being influenced by wealthy supporters; doing the things that are wanted by wealthy supporters]
2
a
[no object]
:
to move your body so that it is not straight
-
She bent down/over/forward 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
-
bend at the waist
-
He bent double with pain. [=he bent forward from the waist because he was in extreme pain]
b
[+ object]
:
to move (part of your body, such as an arm or leg) so that it is not straight
-
bend a knee
-
bend a leg
-
bend an arm
-
bend [=tilt] your head
◊ In formal language, if you bend yourself to or bend your strength/energy/efforts (etc.) to/toward something (such as a job or task), you work hard in order to do it.
-
He has bent himself [=applied himself] to the task of making the company more efficient and profitable.
-
They are bending their efforts toward completing the job on time.
-
They bent their minds to [=gave a lot of thought to; thought hard about] the problem.
bend a rule
:
to not be strict or exact about following a rule
-
She's not really quite old enough to be admitted as a member, but she's very close, so I think we can bend the rule(s) a little in her case and let her in now.
bend over backward
bend someone's ear
informal
:
to talk to someone for a long time
-
He didn't really care about me, he just wanted to bend my ear about his own problems.
bend (the) facts
:
to change facts in a dishonest way in order to deceive people
-
a journalist who has been accused of bending the facts in order to gain support for his political agenda
bend the truth
:
to say something that is not true or that misleads people but that is usually not regarded as a serious or harmful lie
-
When he tells people he's from Manhattan he's bending the truth a little since he really grew up in Brooklyn.
on bended knee
also on bended knees
:
in a kneeling position
:
in the position of someone who is kneeling on one knee
— sometimes used figuratively
-
He proposed to her on bended knee. = He got down on bended knee and proposed to her.
-
He was forced to ask for their help on bended knee. [=he was forced to beg for their help; he was forced to ask for their help in a very humble way]
2
bend
/ˈbɛnd/
noun
plural
bends
2
bend
/ˈbɛnd/
noun
plural
bends
Britannica Dictionary definition of BEND
1
[count]
:
a curved part of something
-
a bend in a road/stream
-
They live just around/past the next bend (in the road).
-
the graceful bends [=curves] of the stairway
2
[count]
:
the act or process of bending something
-
a quick bend of the body
-
knee bends
3
the bends
medical
:
a painful and dangerous condition caused by rising to the surface too quickly after being deep underwater
— called also
decompression sickness
around the bend
(chiefly US) informal or chiefly British round the bend
1
:
crazy
-
The pressure of his job nearly drove him around the bend.
-
He almost went around the bend.
-
If you ask me, she's completely round the bend.
2
US
:
occurring soon
-
The end of summer is just/right around the bend. [=around the corner]
