(~s, ~ing, bent)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
When you ~, you move the top part of your body downwards and forwards. Plants and trees also ~.
I bent over and kissed her cheek...
She bent and picked up a plastic bucket...
She was bent over the sink washing the dishes.
VERB: V adv/prep, V, V-ed
2.
When you ~ your head, you move your head forwards and downwards.
Rick appeared, ~ing his head a little to clear the top of the door.
VERB: V n
3.
When you ~ a part of your body such as your arm or leg, or when it ~s, you change its position so that it is no longer straight.
These cruel devices are designed to stop prisoners ~ing their legs...
As you walk faster, you will find the arms ~ naturally and more quickly.
VERB: V n, V
bent
Keep your knees slightly bent.
ADJ
4.
If you ~ something that is flat or straight, you use force to make it curved or to put an angle in it.
Bend the bar into a horseshoe...
She’d cut a jagged hole in the tin, ~ing a knife in the process.
? straighten
VERB: V n prep, V n, also V n with adv
bent
...a length of bent wire.
ADJ
5.
When a road, beam of light, or other long thin thing ~s, or when something ~s it, it changes direction to form a curve or angle.
The road bent slightly to the right...
Glass ~s light of different colours by different amounts.
VERB: V, V n
6.
A ~ in a road, pipe, or other long thin object is a curve or angle in it.
The crash occurred on a sharp ~.
N-COUNT
7.
If someone ~s to your wishes, they believe or do something different, usually when they do not want to.
Congress has to ~ to his will...
Do you think she’s likely to ~ on her attitude to Europe?
VERB: V to n, V
8.
If you ~ rules or laws, you interpret them in a way that allows you to do something they would not normally allow you to do.
A minority of officers were prepared to ~ the rules.
VERB: V n
9.
If you ~ the truth or ~ the facts, you say something that is not exactly true.
Sometimes we ~ the truth a little in order to spare them the pain of the real facts.
VERB: V n
10.
see also bent , hairpin ~
11.
If you say that someone is ~ing over backwards to be helpful or kind, you are emphasizing that they are trying very hard to be helpful or kind.
People are ~ing over backwards to please customers.
PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR to-inf emphasis
12.
If you say that someone or something drives you round the ~, you mean that you dislike them and they annoy or upset you very much. (BRIT INFORMAL)
And can you make that tea before your fidgeting drives me completely round the ~.
PHRASE: V inflects feelings