bow
/baʊ/ (bre, ipa) · [bˈaʊ] /baʊ/ (ame, ipa) · [bˈaʊ] /ˈbau̇/ (ame, mw) · /bəʊ/ (bre, ipa) · [bˈo] /boʊ/ (ame, ipa)
bow — verb
- bowpresent simple I / you / we / they
- bows3rd person singular
- bowing-ing form
- bowedpast simple
1. to lower your head or upper body as a polite sign of respect, greeting, apology,
to lower your head or upper body as a polite sign of respect, greeting, apology, or thanks.
Diya bowed to the old monk before entering the temple hall.
bow to + person as a sign of respect
After the final song, the band bowed together and left the stage.
performers bow to thank an audience
Caleb bowed his head when the names of the dead were read.
The children bowed politely to their hosts at the start of dinner.
文法句型
bow to + person
bow before + person
bow your head
用法筆記
Often followed by 'to' or 'before' when naming the person who receives the gesture. Performers also bow to an audience at the end of a show.
2. to stop resisting and accept another person's power, wishes, or pressure.
to stop resisting and accept another person's power, wishes, or pressure.
After weeks of protest, the mayor bowed to public pressure.
bow to + pressure/demands/authority
The small retailer would not bow to the chain's pricing demands.
Jin finally bowed to his parents' wishes and studied law.
The minister bowed to party leaders and changed the plan.
- resist
to keep opposing pressure or control
文法句型
bow to + pressure
bow to + demands
bow to + authority
用法筆記
This sense is usually followed by 'to' plus the force you accept, such as pressure, demands, public anger, or authority.
常見錯誤
3. to bend into an arc, or to make something take on that curved shape.
to bend into an arc, or to make something take on that curved shape.
The wet branch bowed under the weight of fresh snow.
bow under the weight of + noun
Heat made the plastic lid bow at the middle.
Asher bowed the thin strip of wood into a smooth arc.
Years of rain bowed the garden gate outward.
- straighten
to become or make straight
文法句型
bow under + weight
bow + object into + shape
用法筆記
Often used of wood, metal, shelves, branches, or similar things changing shape under force, heat, or weight.
bow — noun
- bowsingular
- bowsplural
1. an act of lowering the head or upper body to greet someone, show respect, or tha
an act of lowering the head or upper body to greet someone, show respect, or thank an audience.
The pianist returned for one last bow after the long applause.
take/give a bow after a performance
Ava greeted the judge with a short bow and sat down.
A deep bow from the guide ended the tea ceremony.
The actor's careful bow made the audience cheer again.
文法句型
give a bow
take a bow
用法筆記
Common both for formal greetings and for performers thanking an audience at the end of a show.
2. the end of a vessel that meets the water first as it moves ahead.
the end of a vessel that meets the water first as it moves ahead.
Foam broke over the bow as the ferry crossed the rough channel.
at/on the bow of a boat or ship
Christopher tied the spare rope near the bow before the storm.
A camera on the bow showed ice floating ahead.
The captain stood at the bow and searched for the harbour light.
文法句型
at the bow
on the bow
用法筆記
Used for the forward end of a vessel. The opposite end is the stern.
常見錯誤
3. in rowing, the seat at the very front of the shell.
in rowing, the seat at the very front of the shell.
Devika moved from stroke to bow for the final practice row.
row at bow = nearest the front
The coach put the lightest athlete at bow in the four.
By spring, our club had trained three beginners to row at bow.
The bow seat felt rougher once the wind rose across the lake.
文法句型
row at bow
用法筆記
This sense names the seat or position in the boat, not the person in it.
4. in rowing, the person who sits in that front seat.
in rowing, the person who sits in that front seat.
Baraka was bow for the school crew at the regional race.
bow = person in the front seat
The bow called the timing as the boat came off the start.
The coach chose Joon as bow because Joon reacts quickly.
In the final, our bow stayed steady through the crosswind.
文法句型
be bow for + crew
用法筆記
Unlike sense 3, this use refers to the rower rather than the seat itself.
bow — noun
- bowsingular
- bowsplural
1. a looped knot with trailing ends, used to decorate things or keep laces and ribb
a looped knot with trailing ends, used to decorate things or keep laces and ribbons fastened.
Naoko tied the gift box with a red bow and silver string.
tie something with/in a bow
The nurse fixed a blue bow in the child's hair.
Jenna's shoelace bow came undone on the stairs.
A paper bow decorated the front of each wedding chair.
- knot
more general and not necessarily looped or decorative
文法句型
tie something with a bow
tie something in a bow
用法筆記
Used both for practical knots, such as on shoes, and for decorative ribbon shapes.
2. a curved weapon with a stretched string, used for sending arrows through the air
a curved weapon with a stretched string, used for sending arrows through the air.
The ranger hung his bow above the cabin door after the hunt.
draw/use a bow for shooting arrows
Cyrus pulled the bow back slowly and aimed at the target.
The museum keeps a bamboo bow from the island in a glass case.
During practice, each student checked the bow string before shooting.
- longbow
a specific traditional type of bow
文法句型
draw a bow
shoot with a bow
用法筆記
This sense refers to the weapon itself, not to the strings-and-horsehair tool used with a violin or cello.
3. a narrow stick, usually carrying tight horsehair, that players draw across violi
a narrow stick, usually carrying tight horsehair, that players draw across violin-family strings to make them sound.
The violin bow slipped from Ari's hand during the fast ending.
violin/cello bow used for string instruments
Hoa tightened the bow before the orchestra began the concert.
Rosin on the bow helped the cello strings speak more clearly.
The repair shop replaced the worn hair on Mila's bow.
文法句型
violin bow
tighten a bow
用法筆記
Used with string instruments such as the violin, viola, cello, and double bass.
bow — verb
- bowpresent simple I / you / we / they
- bows3rd person singular
- bowing-ing form
- bowedpast simple
1. to make music on a string instrument by moving a bow across its strings.
to make music on a string instrument by moving a bow across its strings.
Constanza bowed the first note softly before the cello entered.
bow + note/phrase on a string instrument
In rehearsal, the violas bowed together in long, even strokes.
intransitive: players bow together
The teacher asked Paloma to bow closer to the bridge.
Andrei bowed the last phrase with a warm, slow stroke.
- play
much broader and not specific to using a bow
- pluck
to sound the strings with the fingers instead of a bow
文法句型
bow + instrument
bow + note/phrase
bow closer to the bridge
用法筆記
Common in music teaching and performance talk. It may describe either the player or the action applied to a note, phrase, or instrument.