/ bend; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( bent , bent / bent; NAmE /)
1.
[often + adv. / prep. ] ( especially of sb's body or head ) to lean, or make sth lean, in a particular direction :
[ v ]
He bent and kissed her.
fields of poppies bending in the wind
His dark head bent over her.
She bent forward to pick up the newspaper.
Slowly bend from the waist and bring your head down to your knees.
[ vn ]
He bent his head and kissed her.
She was bent over her desk writing a letter.
2.
if you bend your arm, leg, etc. or if it bends , you move it so that it is no longer straight :
[ vn ]
Bend your knees, keeping your back straight.
[ v ]
Lie flat and let your knees bend.
3.
[ vn ] to force sth that was straight into an angle or a curve :
Mark the pipe where you want to bend it.
The knives were bent out of shape.
He bent the wire into the shape of a square.
4.
to change direction to form a curve or an angle; to make sth change direction in this way :
[ v ]
The road bent sharply to the right.
[ vn ]
Glass and water both bend light.
•
IDIOMS
- bend sb's ear (about sth)
- bend your mind / efforts to sth
- bend the truth
- on bended knee(s)
—more at backwards , rule noun
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- bend sb to sth
■ noun
1.
[ C ] a curve or turn, especially in a road or river :
a sharp bend in the road
—see also hairpin bend
2.
the bends [ pl. ] severe pain and difficulty in breathing experienced by a diver who comes back to the surface of the water too quickly
•
IDIOMS
- round the bend / twist
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English bendan put in bonds, tension a bow by means of a string , of Germanic origin; related to band strip of material .