bowing Definition

bow¹
verb bowed, bowing

1. To bend (the head or the upper part of the body) forwards and downwards.

Example: bow one's head
Form: bow down (also)
intr
2. To bend the head or the upper part of the body forwards and downwards, usually as a sign of greeting, respect, shame, etc or to acknowledge applause.

Thesaurus: bend, stoop, dip, drop, incline, bob, duck, kowtow, salaam.
Form: bow down before someone (also sometimes)
Form: bow down before something
3. To express (eg thanks or acceptance) with a bow.
4. To accept or submit to it, especially unwillingly.

Thesaurus: surrender, submit, capitulate, concede, acquiesce, yield; Antonym: resist.
Form: bow to something (usually)

noun

1. An act of bowing.

Thesaurus: nod, bend, curtsy, genuflection, salutation, salaam.

Idiom: bow and scrape

derog
To behave with excessive politeness or deference.

Idiom: take a bow

To acknowledge applause or recognition.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon bugan to bend.

Phrasal Verb: bow something or someone down

To crush it or them down.

Phrasal Verb: bow down to someone

To agree to obey them, or to submit to them.

Phrasal Verb: bow someone in or out

To usher them in or out, etc with a formal or respectful bow.

Phrasal Verb: bow out

To stop taking part; to retire or withdraw.

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bow²
noun

1a. A knot made with a double loop, to fasten the two ends of a lace, ribbon, or string, etc;
1b. A lace, ribbon or string, etc tied in such a knot;
1c. A looped knot of ribbons, etc used to decorate anything.
2. A weapon made of a piece of flexible curved wood or other material, bent by a string stretched between its two ends, for shooting arrows.
3. A long, thin piece of wood with horsehair stretched along its length, for playing the violin or cello, etc.
4. A single stroke or movement (up or down) of the bow while playing the violin or cello, etc. Also in compounds.

Example: up-bow
Example: down-bow
5. Anything which is curved or bent in shape, eg a rainbow.

verb bowed, bowing

tr & intr
1. To bend or make something bend into a curved shape.
2a. To use a bow on (a violin or cello, etc);
intr
2b. In playing a stringed instrument: to use the bow;
2c. To play (a passage, etc) with a specified kind of bowing;
2d. To make (written music) with up-bows and down-bows.

Derivative: bowing

The technique of using the bow when playing a stringed instrument.

A manner or style of using the bow.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon boga an arch or bow (senses 2 and 5).