| 释义 |
noun bəʊboʊ 1A knot tied with two loops and two loose ends, used especially for tying shoelaces and decorative ribbons. a girl with long hair tied back in a bow Example sentencesExamples - I tied it in a bow and wore it as a belt around my waist.
- I also had on black three-inch heels with straps that criss-crossed around my ankle and tied in a bow in the back.
- He did these beautiful bead necklaces on a piece of fabric that tied in a bow in the back.
- I love the little cream silk ribbon tied in a bow on the door handle to my bathroom.
- I picked up a wide blue ribbon, wound it around the ponytail, and tied it in a bow.
- It was covered in black velvet with a blood red rose embroidered on the front and a ribbon of the same colour as the rose tied in a bow at the top.
- Tie the red ribbon in a bow and stitch in place through the center knot, referring to the photo for placement.
- At the base of the triangle made by her stomacher, and foregrounded by a white ribbon tied in a bow, hangs an emblem of the Queen's chastity.
- After your child completes several cards, stack and lace them together through the eyelets on the left edge to form a book, tying the ribbon ends in a bow.
- She wore a light blue dress with a white apron, and a ribbon, tied in a bow to match the color of her dress, hung gracefully in her hair.
- Gather the ribbon ends (make sure all are equal in length) and tie in a bow.
- Hanging on a branch of the biggest pine are my socks, neatly tied in a bow, waiting to be discovered.
- Next cut a length of narrow holiday ribbon to tie in a bow for the top of the package.
- Tie the very ends of the ribbon together in bow or knot, to form a loop by which to hang the bag.
- Also, his conversation with his Dad at the end felt a little too scripted and all wrapped up in a bow, I think.
- Bundle the sticks together with raffia ending in a bow at the top, secure with glue if needed.
- I tied it in a bow around the stem of the flower, and gently stroked the soft fabric before letting my feet carry me downstairs again.
- On it lay a single purple ribbon tied in a bow: a hairpiece for a little girl.
- He looks very jaunty, hands on hips, his cap pushed back on his head and his cap ribbon tied in a bow.
- I waited until the puppies were weaned then I tied red bows around their necks, put them in a box and headed to Mrs. Rooney's home.
- Pat was wearing a black spandex, long sleeved shirt with a thin thread tied in a bow, slipped in between two tiny holes underneath the neckline.
- 1.1 A decorative ribbon tied in a bow.
Example sentencesExamples - Purchase Christmas cards, wrapping paper, tissue, bows, ribbon and decorations for next year while they are on sale now.
- You could also ‘wrap’ your front door or window with a bow and ribbon, and some packing tape.
- Montgomery also will put up as many as six Christmas trees and decorate them with bows, ornaments and small photo frames.
- Don't buy expensive ribbons and bows to decorate your packages, if you hunt around you can find the cheap stuff that will be just as pretty!
- The crowd whooped and cheered when Sliwa bedecked the hood ornament of the mayor's Lincoln with a big yellow bow.
- Inside the entire palace was decorated in red bows and green holly.
- Her shoulders are bare, and she has a big white bow in her hair.
- From all appearances, it looks like walking papers, all tied up in a big red bow!
- Those are now hung to dry in the woodshed until it is time to bring them indoors, and use them, decked with huge scarlet bows, as Christmas decorations.
- Decorate with raffia bows, evergreen snippets, or labels made from old holiday cards.
- Though the present is beautifully wrapped with bows and ribbons and shiny paper it is filled with a scratchy sweater with reindeer on the front.
- Attached to the roses was her engagement ring, secured using the ribbon from the gold bow.
- Her pale hair was held back in a bow with a brooch at the center of the bow.
- Stiff and wooden perhaps, but there are always tiny surprises in Goya's portraits - like the little red bow tied to the dog's back leg.
- Ribbons, laces and bows in silk and satin were seen on many designer gowns.
- Eyeing up some jewellery, Mabel notices a necklace covered in bows.
- She may also be wearing a small yellow ring decorated with bows.
- One girl wore a brash pink silk dress, decorated with a giant bow.
- Her two sisters' maid dresses are not as troublesome as hers due to the fact that theirs are plain and hers is full of decorations such as beads, ribbons and bows.
- Becki ran her hands through her hair and found that the fairies had tied ribbons and bows into it while she slept.
2A weapon for shooting arrows, typically made of a curved piece of wood joined at both ends by a taut string. Example sentencesExamples - In mounted combat their prime weapons were bow and arrow and lance rather than the awkward and uncertain trade musket.
- When the Cherokee got these new weapons, bows and arrows especially, they were able to kill many more animals than before.
- The catalogue, includes an assortment of weapons: bows and arrows, swords and spears.
- They had walked and driven for hours to get there, carrying the only weapons they possessed - bows and arrows, spears and machetes.
- Swords, spears, bows and arrows and many other weapons were being made in full force.
- Dawn drew her bow, nocking an arrow after she strung it.
- The gates opened with speed to let the approaching friends in, and bowmen fitted bows to shoot down the riders.
- We will also include a selection of ranged weapons such as bows, crossbows and slings.
- His followers had matchlocks, spears, swords, bows and arrows.
- She went into the woods with her bow and arrows and quickly found her prey.
- Yet he did not spy any bows or arrows, javelins, or other weapons that could strike at a distance.
- He ran up to one bowman and cleaved his bow in half.
- As sinew is naturally elastic and horn compressive, their combination resulted in a bow of considerable power, yet which crucially was short enough to use with ease on horseback.
- He takes a handmade bow, loops the wire around a hardwood stick, and proceeds to saw back and forth.
- Boys practice shooting bows and arrows at the age of three.
- She picked up her hunter's bow and the quiver of poison tipped arrows, and slung them around her shoulder.
- They stood in the trenches, weapons unsheathed and arrows nocked on bows.
- Apart from her loosely held bow, she does not look well-equipped for the hunt.
- A strung bow with an arrow nocked to the string produced itself from behind her back.
- It's impossible to slouch with a solid three inch bow at your back, and the sandals require short steps.
Synonyms longbow, crossbow, recurve 3A long, partially curved rod with horsehair stretched along its length, used for playing the violin and other stringed instruments. Example sentencesExamples - Once open she proceeds to pull out the violin and rosin her bow.
- The bows of the cellos, violins and double-basses seem to caress your heart strings and not those of their instruments.
- Rosin can be used as a plasticizer, in the manufacture of varnishes and printing inks, and also to treat bows for stringed instruments.
- As I sang, I was prodded in the leg by the cellist's bow.
- Several cultures drink mare's milk; and horse hair is used for violin bows, mattresses and lining for clothes.
- Here is a picture of James aged six, clearly more interested in the violin bow than in the dance.
- Red opened up the case, grabbed the little tin soup can and set it out near him; he then took out the old bow and violin and began to play.
- They meld beautifully with the electric guitar (played by a violin bow of course).
- Tenenbaum, who just happened to have her violin, lifted her bow and began to play.
- She gently placed the bow on the violin and very carefully began to play.
- She watched his downcast face, as he rested the fine horsehair of his bow on his knee.
- The wood was similar to an East Indian variety called pau brasil, which was then popular in Europe for making cabinets and violin bows.
- When the electric is used, it's played with a violin bow, which results in a sound I'm sure we could use to communicate with whales.
- Many great players have publicly stated that they would rather play on a duff instrument with a great bow than a great instrument with a bad bow.
- The stealer of the show was definitely Peers when he played his guitar like an upside-down guitar with a violin bow.
- A typical Baroque violin or viol bow had a finely tapered snakewood stick, almost straight or slightly curved outwards.
- The light bows are curved outward and strung with black horse hair, which gives the music incisive attacks and lush sustains.
- When all four cellos enter using bows, the texture and performance practices suggest a classical string quartet.
- And we often set them swaying back and forth with an accidental whack of a violin bow.
- I seem to remember that although I couldn't play a note on the violin with the bow, I wasn't too bad at pizzicato.
- 3.1 A single passage of a bow over the strings of an instrument.
Example sentencesExamples - She claims to have used a lighter bow for Schubert than Brahms.
- Rapid bowing, slow bows and staccato to bowing are reviewed, and exercises for each are prescribed.
- Bow every note slowly while concentrating on bow placement and technique.
4A curved stroke forming part of a letter (e.g. b, p). Example sentencesExamples - The scribe's standard capital "D" is formed of two strokes, a vertical stroke forming the back that curves a bit to the left at the top, and the right stroke forming the bow.
- An interesting stylistic preference in many early Insular documents was to "borrow" a stroke of a preceding letter (usually a letter with a large 'bow'
- The letter D develops gradually the uncial form ... by lengthening the upper stroke of the bow.
- In particular, the bow of the letter a is particularly sharp and pointed.
- The letter "B," even in its early stages, begins to lose the upper bow.
5A metal ring forming the handle of a key or pair of scissors. Example sentencesExamples - It has long been known to manufacture scissors with finger and thumb bows either of the same size or with the finger bow larger than the thumb bow.
- Its obvious that bow scissors are suitable for delicate work.
- At least the finger bow provided at the movable scissors blade is made ... of a resilient synthetic material or similar material.
- Yarns of lengths between 3 and 5 mm were sampled with fine point tweezers and spring bow scissors ... from thread ends in damaged areas.
- Shears are usually six inches long or longer with one bow for the thumb and one elongated bow for two or more fingers.
- 5.1North American A side piece or lens frame of a pair of glasses.
Example sentencesExamples - The lenses don't meet the corners of the frame where the bows attach.
- A pair of eyeglasses includes an elongated lens unit, a pair of connectors, and a pair of elongated bows.
- This hearing aid device has a body that can be attached to an eyeglasses bow has a channel therein for acceptance of a flexible eyeglasses bow end piece.
verb bəʊboʊ [with object]Play (a stringed instrument or music) using a bow. the techniques by which the pieces were bowed Example sentencesExamples - He took the recorded testimonies of Holocaust survivors and scored them as computer samples against the striking bowed chords of a string quartet.
- Equally, it is not string players who are expected to bow a saw or a cymbal.
- I could see they were impressed with my first piece as I bowed the last note.
Phrases have (or add) another string to one's bow Have a further resource that one can make use of. he decided to go for the degree so he would have another string to his bow Example sentencesExamples - He has another string to his bow, being a purveyor of crafty cutters.
- He, however, has another string to his bow.
- The interesting thing is that they cross-train their field engineers as carpenters and electricians, so that's added another string to our bow and given us more capacity to do work around the AO.
- It shows we have another string to our bow, and another area in which we are doing well.
- One of the St. Laurence's set dancers has another string to her bow!
- They added another string to their bow at Derwent Park yesterday when they proved they can battle and scrap for victories.
- Now he is to add another string to his bow, by donning a white beard and red outfit and playing Santa Claus for the first time when the society holds its Christmas Fair tomorrow.
- There is money to be made, and it is a very satisfying job, but it helps if you have another string to your bow too, at least in the early days.
- A hard-hitting right hander and an off-spinner, he has another string to his bow, being a very good fielder.
- He has recently added another string to his bow having been awarded his trainer's licence at the end of 2002.
- He said: ‘It is a recognition of the role PTEs already play in developing public transport in city regions and adds another string to our bow.’
- But because of my early injury at Newcastle I always thought I needed to have another string to my bow in case I had to pack in the game.
- Perhaps the Glasgow appearance showed that I have another string to my bow at full back and hopefully that might sway some opinion in my direction.
- If we get it right we have added another string to our bow.
- I would recommend the Untimely Meditations to anyone who has read a few pieces and would like to add another string to his bow.
- As well as lower charges and likely out-performance, some index trackers have another string to their bow, because they give you the average performance of the stock market.
- The talented musician and performer will add another string to her bow with her role in the one-woman play, ‘Dust ‘.
- Adults who were looking to add another string to their bow were out in force last week at Opportunity Knocks, the adult education fair which was held in the Seven Oaks Hotel, Carlow.
- At some point in the future, the actress reveals, she also wants to add another string to her bow.
have many strings to one's bow Have a wide range of resources that one can make use of. Example sentencesExamples - Patsy has many strings to her bow; not only is she an outstanding player with flair and intellect, she is also a wonderful teacher and composer.
- Pierre had many strings to his bow - as a layman he was dedicated to adoration and to evangelisation " in the world but not of the world "; he was a student of antiques, a hotelier, a distributor of books and an editor, a journalist and member of a cinema jury panel.
- During his long and busy life Mr Gill has had many strings to his bow, and the occupations of his leisure hours have been varied and interesting.
- Tracey Smith, our Marketing Manager, has many strings to her bow, Trust Membership being (a major) one of them.
- Professionally he had many strings to his bow, being a writer of prose and poetry, editor and lecturer.
- Chevvy has many strings to her bow, although is mainly to be found behind the wheel of some large vehicle or other.
- Now in his sixth decade, Gwynne has many strings to his bow.
- Pippa has many strings to her bow and with that comes a varied professional life.
- Elisabeth sings with the band as their guest but has many strings to her bow.
- Secondly I have learnt that I am an unusual practitioner in a city context as I have many strings to my bow.
- Badger Jenny is a busy Badger who has many strings to her bow.
- As a violinist she has many strings to her bow and qualifications to her name.
- Gertrude has many strings to her bow, guardian angel, seasonal fairy, a confidant (to anyone who will listen) and occasionally freelancing for Hugh someone.
- I love the metaphor you used for your wife, ‘… she has many strings to her bow, poetry and music (classical violin) to name but two.
- Sam, who joined the Ulster Star as darts and football correspondent in 1958, devoted much of his life to darts, but had many strings to his bow.
- He praises the young star's abilities, saying: ‘She has an amazing talent and has many strings to her bow.’
- So far I have many strings to my bow which include (in order)… Newspaper Delivery, Delicatessen Staff, Graphic Artist, Model maker, Dole-ite, CAD Operator and finally Cable TV / Telecomms Designer.
- June has many strings to her bow - apart from being a fully qualified First Aid Instructor (who trains the field guides at all the Madikwe lodges) she is also a field guide and a pretty decent back up on those walks.
- The Champion 100m hurdler and 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games finalist has many strings to her bow.
- It was Karen who trained me to Level ii in Reiki Healing; but she has many strings to her bow.
Origin Old English boga 'bend, bow, arch', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boog and German Bogen, also to bow2. The bow of a ship has nothing to do with a person bowing in respect or a support bowing under pressure. The nautical bow (early 17th century) is in fact related to bough (Old English), the limb of a tree. Its immediate source, in the later Middle Ages, was German or Dutch. The phrase a shot across the bows, ‘a warning statement or gesture’, has its origins in the world of naval warfare, where it is one which is not intended to hit, but to make ships stop or alter their course. See also buxom. The archer's bow and the act of bending, both Old English, are related and come from Germanic roots. The archer's bow got its name from the shape, which also appears in Old English rainbow and elbow (Old English). The first part of the latter gives us the old measurement the ell, a variable measure, originally the distance from elbow to fingertip, which comes from the Indo-European root that also gives us ulna (mid 16th century) for the bone that runs from elbow to wrist.
Rhymes allow, avow, Bilbao, Bissau, bough, bow-wow, brow, cacao, chow, ciao, cow, dhow, Dow, endow, Foochow, Frau, Hangzhou, Hough, how, Howe, kowtow, Lao, Liao, Macao, Macau, miaow, Mindanao, mow, now, ow, Palau, plough (US plow), pow, prow, row, scow, Slough, sough, sow, Tao, thou, vow, wow, Yangshao verb baʊbaʊ [no object]1Bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect, greeting, or shame. he turned and bowed to his father with object she knelt and bowed her head councillors stood with heads bowed Example sentencesExamples - At concerts, upon arriving to the podium he would first bow to the orchestra and then to the audience.
- It was customary when they finished, to bow as a sign of respect to their master.
- Formal greetings are made by bowing the head and upper body.
- Others, probably close friends, bowed their heads respectfully, mumbling - a prayer perhaps.
- Immediately, almost as if it were a reflex Bastian dropped to one knee head bowed as a sign of respect for the future king of Geneval.
- I bow down before it and pray fervently that I never come face to face with it.
- The waiter who has magically appeared at her side bows slightly and asks her if she wants anything.
- Roland kissed the hand of the priest and rose to his people, and bowed to them in respect.
- Soon I would control legions and all would bow down before me.
- The Human quickly bowed, as a sign of respect and kindness.
- The man climbed off his horse, and bowed to Dominic in respect.
- He took one final, loving look at his father's serene face and bowed in most profound respect to the body on the bier.
- Drake's head rose from its resting place, I bowed to show my respect to my own creator.
- Isaac's blessing prophesied that Esau would bow down before Jacob; but no, here is Jacob, bowing down before Esau.
- The figure bowed to show respect to the man and then stood straight up again.
- Make way heathens, and bow to your celestial overlords!
- ‘Lord, there are bad guys out there,’ he says, bowing his head.
- On the screen, the little girl bows her head slightly to accept her trophy.
- From a field, the horses observe the Statue of Liberty, and, indeed, they bow down before it.
- ‘You honour me,’ Sothos replied, bowing his head. ‘
- He said he's had fans bow down before him, and shrugged off the hardships of playing the physically demanding part.
- Haman was furious with Mordecai, because Mordecai refused to bow down before him to show his respect.
- He urged his followers to bow down before him, in Persian fashion.
Synonyms incline the body, incline the head, make an obeisance, make a bow, nod, curtsy, drop a curtsy, bob, salaam, genuflect, bend the knee, kowtow - 1.1with object Express (thanks, agreement, or other sentiments) by bending one's head respectfully.
he looked at Hector before bowing grave thanks Example sentencesExamples - He was genuinely pleased with this marriage and so Lydia could do nothing, but bow her thanks.
- I bowed agreement, but ventured to make a suggestion.
- The big retailers have no plans to bow this criticism, however.
- She took his hands, and they bowed their heads together.
- In his small webbed hands he held Spitz's helmet which Pax gently accepted bowing his thanks.
- Just email me and rant and rave and I'll get back to you, bowing thanks for putting me on your favorites list!
- The lad bowed his thanks and knotted the sash around his body in the usual fashion.
- The dance ended and he bowed his thanks and left her in the middle of the ballroom.
2Bend with age or under pressure. the roof trusses bowed as the wind fought to rip the roof free with object the creepers were bowed down with flowers Example sentencesExamples - I did put out a quiver-tip, which rocked back and forth like a blade of grass bowing and stooping before the wind.
- Pensioners, although they appear bowed by the more strenuous life they once went through, find time for a humorous chat on a bench in front of St Mary's Church.
- So as not to feel Time's horrible burden, one which breaks your shoulders and bows you down, you must get drunk without cease.
- If your walls are bowed, bumpy or imperfect, you might be able to achieve a better finish by stripping them bare.
- In both tests, the core failed to melt and showed no sign of panel bowing, bending, or deflection.
- 2.1 Submit to pressure or demands.
the government has bowed to pressure from farmers to increase compensation Example sentencesExamples - I fear that yes consumerism has become the new religion and that we are now obliged to bow down before the almighty market.
- This fractured city, crow-branch black, is bowed with armies, bent and hungry, fed with air and black bread.
- Ministers have bowed to pressure by weakening a series of expensive regulations after protests from cash-strapped home owners.
- But last week Britain, too, bowed to the pressure.
- What happened to her was tragic and awful, but she managed to maintain a level of happiness and refused to be bowed by her illness.
- Despite giving my backing to his campaign against New Years Eve parties as usual I bowed to peer-group pressure and went out on the night itself.
- Pro-European constitution campaigners last night refused to be bowed by the results of the poll.
- As Westerners bow down before multiculturalism, we anesthetize ourselves into believing that anything goes.
- We are expected to bow down before the divinely written Word, even when that Word famously, ludicrously contradicts itself over and over and over again.
- Now the Government has bowed to pressure and reversed its policy, in a move which should prevent such deaths from happening again.
- In the meantime, we can only bow to the scorn of the multitude, and await the judgment of posterity.
- Last month, City of York Council chiefs bowed to pressure from city centre restaurateurs who said York's evening parking bans had badly affected trade.
- But bowing your head against dark forces will only help them spread.
- Only a day earlier, she had reluctantly bowed to pressure from senior Congress Party members to accept the job.
- But how many are there who can hear debt knocking at his door, with no end in sight; bowed by pain and sorrow in his family; and still do the right thing?
- If it comes to me having to totally sell out and bow down, I don't think I'll do it.
- Hindu temples have been attacked several times by gangs of Muslim youths, and he said they were not going to be bowed by the repeated attacks.
- Let's forget what makes Greenwich special and just bow down to whatever the property developers want.
- Coming into the Olympics, the British sprinters' heads were bowed by the weight of their accusers and they ran as if carrying the cares of the world.
- The seed and chemical giant bowed to pressure from a wide range of farm groups, who have been reacting to growing opposition from wheat buyers and consumers.
- There followed a prolonged period of discussion on the subject before John finally bowed to pressure from the floor and agreed to stay on for one more year.
- Late this afternoon, the fire department bowed to that pressure.
- He realizes that the misfortunes of life, like losing a job or a home, or disastrous illness, may bow him down but can never break him.
- Even after Monday night's recount result gave the seat to her opponent, she would not be bowed.
- Before the Constitution all other laws and legislation bow.
- But Thistle, to their credit, refused to be bowed and they continued to go for the winner.
- Americans can make any graven image they wish to make, and bow down to whatever god or idol they wish.
- If I can't get it out of you, by God, I will take off my hat and bow down and kiss the feet of the one that can do it better.
- His mind was employed upon Christ, and even bodily he felt as if set free from a great burden which had bowed him down.
- The Government has bowed to pressure for an inquiry into the foot-and-mouth disease crisis and admitted lessons have to be learned.
Synonyms give in, give way, yield, submit, surrender, succumb, capitulate, assent, defer, kowtow, truckle, adhere, conform acquiesce in, concur with, comply with, act in accordance with, cooperate with, accept, heed, observe
3North American (of a new film or product) be premiered or launched. the trailer bowed in theaters nationwide on December 23 the Pentium III bowed in early 1999 Example sentencesExamples - The same can be said of other models bowing next year.
noun baʊbaʊ An act of bending the head or upper body as a sign of respect or greeting. the man gave a little bow Example sentencesExamples - He gave her a mock bow and pulled out a set of car keys from his pocket, ‘whatever you say, m'lady.’
- Sir Robin, clean-cut and the soul of discretion, gives a brief head bow and addresses the Queen as ‘Your Majesty’.
- Grasping the baton with both hands, he takes a single low bow, then turns to face the orchestra.
- As the skyline took a descending bow, we felt the surge of power riding the carriage to the top.
- They also saluted him with a deep 45-degree bow in his honor.
- Karajan modestly confines himself to initial bows and a last curtain embellished with bouquets.
- Branson inclined his head slightly in a bow, and Angelie curtsied again.
- Tyrielle went into a deep bow, his waist length hair touching the floor slightly.
- The song ended and I took a quick, self-conscious bow.
- I suppose my eyes conveyed the same message, and I smirked at him, inclining my head in a bow, before stepping up to shake his hand.
- He looked down and saw she was on one knee, in a bow.
- Chavez replied with a smile and a mock bow, just before he grabbed Pen's hands, swept her off her feet and carried her up into the air, screaming.
- Davis looked up and gave a signal of approval, and after a quick bow, the pair of messengers was gone.
- All of the younger class men sank to the floor in a bow, all except Jessica and Andrew.
- He nodded towards the pictures and gave a mock bow.
- Chris gave her a mock bow, before taking her empty bottle.
- They bent down on one knee in a bow before their king.
- Then she smiled nicely, took a little bow, blew a kiss, and gave just the briefest, politest, friendliest pump of a fist.
- ‘Thank you, sire,’ she said in a bow before trailing after the two scouts in silence.
- I stood there for a while before wandering over to the fountain, where a Hispanic guy was taking mock bows for his friends.
Synonyms inclination, obeisance, nod, curtsy, bob, salaam, salutation Indian namaskar Chinese, historical kowtow archaic reverence
Phrases Behave in an obsequious way to someone in authority. a jailer led them in, the fellow bowing and scraping as he recognized Sir John Example sentencesExamples - The waiters will bow and scrape and tend to your every wish, for I will have pre-arranged this level of service with the manager.
- So Russ flipped out and is in trouble for attacking some poor guy who was probably not in the mood to bow and scrape before the superstar.
- At the same time, don't bow and scrape before the vulgar, even when they are proud and full of themselves.
- How could a region that possessed such an incomparable language bow and scrape to States where people spoke the inferior Hindi?
- Break it up, and let us staff it with people who care about what they do, and do not have to bow and scrape to a Government bureaucracy that inhibits them from being as constructive as they possibly can be.
- Just so long as we don't have to bow and scrape too much we'll do our bit to improve her day, just as she's done hers to improve all of mine.
- You can bet on football and basketball with drug-dealing bookmakers as long as you bow and scrape and genuflect when called onto the commissioner's carpet.
- Why is it American media types bow and scrape before Europeans as our obvious genetic masters?
- But every time we do so, we have had to bow and scrape and beg and plead to please be allowed to do the right thing.
- The idea that we should bow and scrape to such a family is obscene.
- I was of one of the most noble families of the Roman Empire, yet this man inspired such a fear in me that I would bow and scrape to him.
- The community are now having to bow and scrape, apologising and reasoning for what four freaks, four statistical anomalies, four twisted and tortured minds have done.
- Don't call me Lord Peter, Charles, I refuse to allow a perfectly decent though rather dull man to bow and scrape to me!
- The fact is that we are expected to bow and scrape to them simply because they were born with that name (or obtained it through marriage).
- Last month, I met him at another awards ceremony, and he got similarly royal treatment, with well-wishers and sycophants issuing forth to bow and scrape.
- A stubborn defender of his own beliefs, and commendably reluctant to bow and scrape at the altar of the Old Firm, he may have overstepped the mark this time.
- People are expected to curtsey, bow and scrape before them.
- He further remarked that Americans were fierce egalitarians who, despite differences of income and status, refused to bow and scrape before anybody.
- A series of columns in the November 25 issue all exhibited an irrepressible need to bow and scrape before the Republican right.
- Just how long is a refugee supposed to bow and scrape?
Make one's first formal appearance in a particular role. the midfielder only made his England bow nine months ago Example sentencesExamples - The 32-year-old, who was released by Boro at the end of last season, will join his new team-mates at training today before making his bow between the sticks in tonight's friendly against Gainsborough Trinity.
- Six years ago, he made his full international debut for England to join an elite list of national greats to make their bow around their 21st birthday.
- Snooker's glamour boy makes his bow in this year's UK Championship in York at 10 am on Wednesday morning.
- She makes her bow in a Grand Slam outside of Britain, losing in the first round of the 2003 Australian Open
- Another Collyhurst lad makes his bow in the pro ranks on home turf.
- A group of young Burnley fans had a day to remember when Wimbledon made their bow at the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes last weekend.
- This is the first time they have progressed beyond the first round since making their bow in the competition in 1995.
- And he has asked the fans to continue pulling in the same direction as the mystery consortium which is looking to back the club, and carry on the fight in any way they can in readiness for the club to make their bow next season.
- The centre forward or centre half signed from Guiseley a few weeks ago but has only been available once so far, making tomorrow's game an ideal opportunity to make his bow at Station View.
- But Harry will not be getting any butterflies before he makes his bow after 15 years experience in the butchers trade.
Acknowledge applause after a performance by bowing. the music ended and the girl took a bow figurative for shrewd transfers the team's manager must take a well-deserved bow Example sentencesExamples - The girls on stage took a bow and toddled offstage.
- All in all a great performance from everyone so take a bow folks and congratulations to all involved.
- Those who organised the various events and there were many, must take a bow, for all of their efforts.
- The girls filed past, and every other girl took a bow.
- Her son Teddy, a musician in his own right who co-wrote some of the songs on her comeback album, tells her exasperatedly that she is meant to stay on stage at the end of her performance and take a bow, not scurry off into the wings.
- At the end, about 30 came out and clapped and took a bow.
- Finally, after our tearful father called an ambulance, Kelly jumped up, took a bow and said, ‘That was my impression of a dead baby bird!’
- It was smiles all round in Killarney as students took a bow at a special graduation ceremony.
- But he took a bow at the end with the rest of the cast and no attempt was made to remove him, so he was clearly part of the conception rather than a madman who had wandered in off the street.
- One source familiar with the videotape said: ‘After throwing the vase, he takes a bow like he's just completed a performance on stage and then he takes a karate stance.’
- When the conductor beckoned them to take a bow after the performance, the audience rose as one to acclaim them.
- A young woman takes a bow after her ‘performance’.
- As trading was described as being brisk throughout the weekend, the organisers of the 13 th Annual Foxford Craft Fair in Foxford must take a bow on a job very well done indeed.
- When the song was over, everyone applauded and Hailey took a bow.
- The audience gave them a roar of applause as they took a bow.
- A great round of applause sounded, and she tried to stand up and take a bow, but fell to the ground laughing.
- On a day when their three rookies took a bow, the away team could not repeat the spectacular start they had made a day earlier.
- Charles, after seeing his partner run off, went to the center of the stage and took a bow, after which he was given tremendous applause from the highly amused audience.
- A pleasant applause filled the room and Will took a bow.
- The band ends and the girls walk off after taking a bow.
Phrasal Verbs Withdraw or retire from an activity or role. many artists are forced to bow out of the profession at a relatively early age Example sentencesExamples - Sometimes when a defense attorney bows out of a case it is because he or she has either come to know too much, has said too much, or has committed him or herself to too much to effectively defend the client.
- When Britain's most famous female golfer bows out of the American Tour, the Lancashire Girls champion from Pleasington is well on course to take her place.
- The dip in applications this year will be a further blow to principals, many of whom are struggling to fill vacancies caused by teachers retiring, bowing out early and leaving the job to go into other careers.
- They wanted to retire but feared that their club would fold if they bowed out.
- He bows out, at least in terms of a formal campaign.
- Later, Carmela finds one lawyer, but the effort to reach the unreported assets depends on the work of an investigator who bows out when he learns who is involved.
- Peers cannot retire, so bowing out means they lose their right to expenses and allowances-worth up to £31,000 a year.
- The D.A. picks the prosecutors, then - usually - bows out.
- As he bows out of the race he has dominated for 7 years, Armstrong even seems to have finally won the battle for the respect, if not the affection, of France.
- This was a leader who had been transformed from a virtual electoral liability in 1999 into a probable asset for 2003, if he were to call one more election before he bows out.
- By these accounts, it would seem that the only good politician is a non-politician, somebody who bows out deferentially to the sidelines.
- After the collapse, I hastily bowed out and retired for a mug of hot, milky, sugary coffee.
- That doesn't seem to be the case, though, as Pierce has decided to gracefully bow out of the role.
- Such teachers might have taken early retirement or might have bowed out temporarily.
- What Dawn actually has more of than the original is sharp observation of human nature; how people react in a crisis, how they arrange power structure in a group, who comes to the fore and who bows out.
- The embattled leader has been told privately by senior advisers that he either bows out gracefully or risks bringing the party into a damaging dispute.
- She bows out because, if she does the talent show at all, she'd rather do a skit - or so she claims.
- I thought he missed his chance to bow out and retire undefeated - but then I am not the first, nor the last, to be wrong.
- The York theatre legend had to bow out of the star role after the opening night when he was taken to hospital with intense stomach pains.
- He will be missed when he bows out of competition.
Synonyms withdraw from, resign from, retire from, step down from, get out of, pull out of, back out of, stop participating in give up, quit, leave, abandon informal pack in, chuck, chuck in, jack in call it a day, throw in the towel/sponge archaic forsake, demit
Origin Old English būgan 'bend, stoop', of Germanic origin; related to German biegen, also to bow1. noun baʊbaʊ The front end of a ship. water sprayed high over her bows Example sentencesExamples - She stood at the bow of the ship, letting the breeze play with her hair.
- The ship has a bow and a stern ramp for fast landing of troops and combat material.
- The wrinkles dispersed like waves disappearing before the bow of a ship.
- Steve stood at the bow of the ship, unprotected from the storm and hanging on for dear life as he pointed excitedly.
- The wide planing hull lends stability for easy shots down tough rapids, and the boat's upturned bow makes punching through big holes a cinch.
- Blackbeard's sword shone in the light, as he stood at the bow of the ship, one knee up, staring foreword at his island.
- Sitting in the Sequoia's bow, I can hear only the creak of the oars and the muffled roar of the falls.
- When we stood at the bow of the ship we peered over the edge and watched the maidenhead get battered, the wooden carving taking the abuse in stride.
- I am in the musty storage bow of a sailless schooner on the murky waters of the river Styx.
- Before he could say another word the pirate ran to the edge of the bow and jumped ship.
- The twins stood at the bow of the ship as the creak and groan of ice echoed all around.
- A good 1500 meters stretched from the stubby bow back to the equally stubby stern.
- There were shrapnel pockmarks from bow to stern, and the main living area was just one enormous cavity of burnt wood, twisted metal and torn cables.
- Once they had hauled out their gear, he motored away, the flag on his little boat's bow snapping in the winter breeze.
- Without the support of the bowsprit, the long spar that extends forward from the bow of the ship, there was no support for the masts.
- Although the public saw the usual hands at the wheel of the ship of state, they were as decorative as the figureheads on the bows of old sailing ships.
- Kerry's boat ran up to me in the water, bow on, and I was able to climb up a cargo net to the lip of the deck.
- She turned to cross to the starboard side, but she saw Nathaniel laughing, and she changed her mind and stood at the bow of the ship.
- The former, as prime contractor, builds the aft and central superstructure, the latter the ship's bow and distinctive pyramidal main mast.
- The ceiling lights lit in a sequence from the aft deck to the bow of the ship and the floor lighting blinked twice before staying on.
Synonyms prow, front, forepart, stem, rostrum, ram, nose, head, bowsprit, cutwater informal sharp end rare fore-end, stem-post, beak, beakhead
Phrases Within 45° of the point directly ahead. Example sentencesExamples - I can't work out whether they are swimming hard or perhaps riding a pressure wave, like a dolphin would on the bow of a boat.
- We held on for dear life, braving the swells of the Tasman Sea, as the dolphins played on the bow and jumped in our wake.
- ‘This will not be a problem as they will take this southwesterly gale straight on the bow of the ship,’ the department said.
- The dive boat hurtled at the swell, outboard motors bellowing, the white-knuckled skipper see-sawing the throttle, the rest of us staring transfixed at the crackling green breakers on the bow.
- Four miles out to sea, both Nicholas and Hays agreed that it would be a fine day to see a broadbill or spearfish on the surface and within ten seconds a fin obligingly appeared 300 yards away directly on the bow.
a (warning) shot across the bows A statement or gesture intended to frighten someone into changing their course of action. supporters are firing a warning shot across the President's bows Example sentencesExamples - Apparently they sometimes give you a warning shot across the bows before they sink the fangs in.
- Most observers believe the bill was meant to be a shot across the Islamic Republic's bow.
- The recall vote was a shot across the bows for all politicians.
- There are not that many who have been completely barred but it's fired a warning shot across the bows.
- This is simply a warning shot across the bows of the Iraqi leadership.
Origin Late Middle English: from Low German boog, Dutch boeg, 'shoulder or ship's bow'; related to bough. nounboʊbō 1A knot tied with two loops and two loose ends, used especially for tying shoelaces and decorative ribbons. a girl with long hair tied back in a bow Example sentencesExamples - Bundle the sticks together with raffia ending in a bow at the top, secure with glue if needed.
- Tie the very ends of the ribbon together in bow or knot, to form a loop by which to hang the bag.
- It was covered in black velvet with a blood red rose embroidered on the front and a ribbon of the same colour as the rose tied in a bow at the top.
- Tie the red ribbon in a bow and stitch in place through the center knot, referring to the photo for placement.
- On it lay a single purple ribbon tied in a bow: a hairpiece for a little girl.
- I love the little cream silk ribbon tied in a bow on the door handle to my bathroom.
- I tied it in a bow and wore it as a belt around my waist.
- Also, his conversation with his Dad at the end felt a little too scripted and all wrapped up in a bow, I think.
- I picked up a wide blue ribbon, wound it around the ponytail, and tied it in a bow.
- After your child completes several cards, stack and lace them together through the eyelets on the left edge to form a book, tying the ribbon ends in a bow.
- Pat was wearing a black spandex, long sleeved shirt with a thin thread tied in a bow, slipped in between two tiny holes underneath the neckline.
- I tied it in a bow around the stem of the flower, and gently stroked the soft fabric before letting my feet carry me downstairs again.
- He did these beautiful bead necklaces on a piece of fabric that tied in a bow in the back.
- Next cut a length of narrow holiday ribbon to tie in a bow for the top of the package.
- Hanging on a branch of the biggest pine are my socks, neatly tied in a bow, waiting to be discovered.
- Gather the ribbon ends (make sure all are equal in length) and tie in a bow.
- At the base of the triangle made by her stomacher, and foregrounded by a white ribbon tied in a bow, hangs an emblem of the Queen's chastity.
- She wore a light blue dress with a white apron, and a ribbon, tied in a bow to match the color of her dress, hung gracefully in her hair.
- I also had on black three-inch heels with straps that criss-crossed around my ankle and tied in a bow in the back.
- I waited until the puppies were weaned then I tied red bows around their necks, put them in a box and headed to Mrs. Rooney's home.
- He looks very jaunty, hands on hips, his cap pushed back on his head and his cap ribbon tied in a bow.
- 1.1 A decorative ribbon tied in a bow.
Example sentencesExamples - Eyeing up some jewellery, Mabel notices a necklace covered in bows.
- Don't buy expensive ribbons and bows to decorate your packages, if you hunt around you can find the cheap stuff that will be just as pretty!
- The crowd whooped and cheered when Sliwa bedecked the hood ornament of the mayor's Lincoln with a big yellow bow.
- Her two sisters' maid dresses are not as troublesome as hers due to the fact that theirs are plain and hers is full of decorations such as beads, ribbons and bows.
- Those are now hung to dry in the woodshed until it is time to bring them indoors, and use them, decked with huge scarlet bows, as Christmas decorations.
- Decorate with raffia bows, evergreen snippets, or labels made from old holiday cards.
- One girl wore a brash pink silk dress, decorated with a giant bow.
- Stiff and wooden perhaps, but there are always tiny surprises in Goya's portraits - like the little red bow tied to the dog's back leg.
- From all appearances, it looks like walking papers, all tied up in a big red bow!
- Her shoulders are bare, and she has a big white bow in her hair.
- Her pale hair was held back in a bow with a brooch at the center of the bow.
- Purchase Christmas cards, wrapping paper, tissue, bows, ribbon and decorations for next year while they are on sale now.
- You could also ‘wrap’ your front door or window with a bow and ribbon, and some packing tape.
- Attached to the roses was her engagement ring, secured using the ribbon from the gold bow.
- Inside the entire palace was decorated in red bows and green holly.
- She may also be wearing a small yellow ring decorated with bows.
- Becki ran her hands through her hair and found that the fairies had tied ribbons and bows into it while she slept.
- Though the present is beautifully wrapped with bows and ribbons and shiny paper it is filled with a scratchy sweater with reindeer on the front.
- Ribbons, laces and bows in silk and satin were seen on many designer gowns.
- Montgomery also will put up as many as six Christmas trees and decorate them with bows, ornaments and small photo frames.
2A weapon for shooting arrows, typically made of a curved piece of wood whose ends are joined by a taut string. Example sentencesExamples - The gates opened with speed to let the approaching friends in, and bowmen fitted bows to shoot down the riders.
- He ran up to one bowman and cleaved his bow in half.
- She picked up her hunter's bow and the quiver of poison tipped arrows, and slung them around her shoulder.
- He takes a handmade bow, loops the wire around a hardwood stick, and proceeds to saw back and forth.
- Apart from her loosely held bow, she does not look well-equipped for the hunt.
- She went into the woods with her bow and arrows and quickly found her prey.
- When the Cherokee got these new weapons, bows and arrows especially, they were able to kill many more animals than before.
- They had walked and driven for hours to get there, carrying the only weapons they possessed - bows and arrows, spears and machetes.
- A strung bow with an arrow nocked to the string produced itself from behind her back.
- His followers had matchlocks, spears, swords, bows and arrows.
- Swords, spears, bows and arrows and many other weapons were being made in full force.
- Yet he did not spy any bows or arrows, javelins, or other weapons that could strike at a distance.
- We will also include a selection of ranged weapons such as bows, crossbows and slings.
- Dawn drew her bow, nocking an arrow after she strung it.
- They stood in the trenches, weapons unsheathed and arrows nocked on bows.
- It's impossible to slouch with a solid three inch bow at your back, and the sandals require short steps.
- In mounted combat their prime weapons were bow and arrow and lance rather than the awkward and uncertain trade musket.
- The catalogue, includes an assortment of weapons: bows and arrows, swords and spears.
- Boys practice shooting bows and arrows at the age of three.
- As sinew is naturally elastic and horn compressive, their combination resulted in a bow of considerable power, yet which crucially was short enough to use with ease on horseback.
Synonyms longbow, crossbow, recurve - 2.1 A bowman.
3A long, partially curved rod with horsehair stretched along its length, used for playing the violin and other stringed instruments. Example sentencesExamples - I seem to remember that although I couldn't play a note on the violin with the bow, I wasn't too bad at pizzicato.
- The bows of the cellos, violins and double-basses seem to caress your heart strings and not those of their instruments.
- She watched his downcast face, as he rested the fine horsehair of his bow on his knee.
- As I sang, I was prodded in the leg by the cellist's bow.
- Once open she proceeds to pull out the violin and rosin her bow.
- Rosin can be used as a plasticizer, in the manufacture of varnishes and printing inks, and also to treat bows for stringed instruments.
- Several cultures drink mare's milk; and horse hair is used for violin bows, mattresses and lining for clothes.
- Here is a picture of James aged six, clearly more interested in the violin bow than in the dance.
- They meld beautifully with the electric guitar (played by a violin bow of course).
- And we often set them swaying back and forth with an accidental whack of a violin bow.
- A typical Baroque violin or viol bow had a finely tapered snakewood stick, almost straight or slightly curved outwards.
- When the electric is used, it's played with a violin bow, which results in a sound I'm sure we could use to communicate with whales.
- The light bows are curved outward and strung with black horse hair, which gives the music incisive attacks and lush sustains.
- The wood was similar to an East Indian variety called pau brasil, which was then popular in Europe for making cabinets and violin bows.
- When all four cellos enter using bows, the texture and performance practices suggest a classical string quartet.
- Many great players have publicly stated that they would rather play on a duff instrument with a great bow than a great instrument with a bad bow.
- The stealer of the show was definitely Peers when he played his guitar like an upside-down guitar with a violin bow.
- Red opened up the case, grabbed the little tin soup can and set it out near him; he then took out the old bow and violin and began to play.
- Tenenbaum, who just happened to have her violin, lifted her bow and began to play.
- She gently placed the bow on the violin and very carefully began to play.
- 3.1 A single passage of a bow over the strings of a violin or other stringed instrument.
Example sentencesExamples - Bow every note slowly while concentrating on bow placement and technique.
- She claims to have used a lighter bow for Schubert than Brahms.
- Rapid bowing, slow bows and staccato to bowing are reviewed, and exercises for each are prescribed.
4A curved stroke forming part of a letter (e.g. b, p). Example sentencesExamples - An interesting stylistic preference in many early Insular documents was to "borrow" a stroke of a preceding letter (usually a letter with a large 'bow'
- The scribe's standard capital "D" is formed of two strokes, a vertical stroke forming the back that curves a bit to the left at the top, and the right stroke forming the bow.
- The letter D develops gradually the uncial form ... by lengthening the upper stroke of the bow.
- In particular, the bow of the letter a is particularly sharp and pointed.
- The letter "B," even in its early stages, begins to lose the upper bow.
5A metal ring forming the handle of a key or pair of scissors. Example sentencesExamples - Its obvious that bow scissors are suitable for delicate work.
- At least the finger bow provided at the movable scissors blade is made ... of a resilient synthetic material or similar material.
- Yarns of lengths between 3 and 5 mm were sampled with fine point tweezers and spring bow scissors ... from thread ends in damaged areas.
- It has long been known to manufacture scissors with finger and thumb bows either of the same size or with the finger bow larger than the thumb bow.
- Shears are usually six inches long or longer with one bow for the thumb and one elongated bow for two or more fingers.
- 5.1North American A side piece or lens frame of a pair of glasses.
Example sentencesExamples - This hearing aid device has a body that can be attached to an eyeglasses bow has a channel therein for acceptance of a flexible eyeglasses bow end piece.
- A pair of eyeglasses includes an elongated lens unit, a pair of connectors, and a pair of elongated bows.
- The lenses don't meet the corners of the frame where the bows attach.
verbboʊbō [with object]Play (a stringed instrument or music) using a bow. the techniques by which the pieces were bowed Example sentencesExamples - Equally, it is not string players who are expected to bow a saw or a cymbal.
- I could see they were impressed with my first piece as I bowed the last note.
- He took the recorded testimonies of Holocaust survivors and scored them as computer samples against the striking bowed chords of a string quartet.
Origin Old English boga ‘bend, bow, arch’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch boog and German Bogen, also to bow. verbbaʊbou [no object]1Bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect, greeting, or shame. he turned and bowed to his father with object she knelt and bowed her head councilors stood with heads bowed they refused to bow down before the king Example sentencesExamples - ‘Lord, there are bad guys out there,’ he says, bowing his head.
- Roland kissed the hand of the priest and rose to his people, and bowed to them in respect.
- Formal greetings are made by bowing the head and upper body.
- ‘You honour me,’ Sothos replied, bowing his head. ‘
- At concerts, upon arriving to the podium he would first bow to the orchestra and then to the audience.
- Soon I would control legions and all would bow down before me.
- Isaac's blessing prophesied that Esau would bow down before Jacob; but no, here is Jacob, bowing down before Esau.
- The figure bowed to show respect to the man and then stood straight up again.
- I bow down before it and pray fervently that I never come face to face with it.
- It was customary when they finished, to bow as a sign of respect to their master.
- The man climbed off his horse, and bowed to Dominic in respect.
- He said he's had fans bow down before him, and shrugged off the hardships of playing the physically demanding part.
- Haman was furious with Mordecai, because Mordecai refused to bow down before him to show his respect.
- He urged his followers to bow down before him, in Persian fashion.
- The waiter who has magically appeared at her side bows slightly and asks her if she wants anything.
- Make way heathens, and bow to your celestial overlords!
- From a field, the horses observe the Statue of Liberty, and, indeed, they bow down before it.
- Immediately, almost as if it were a reflex Bastian dropped to one knee head bowed as a sign of respect for the future king of Geneval.
- He took one final, loving look at his father's serene face and bowed in most profound respect to the body on the bier.
- Others, probably close friends, bowed their heads respectfully, mumbling - a prayer perhaps.
- The Human quickly bowed, as a sign of respect and kindness.
- On the screen, the little girl bows her head slightly to accept her trophy.
- Drake's head rose from its resting place, I bowed to show my respect to my own creator.
Synonyms incline the body, incline the head, make an obeisance, make a bow, nod, curtsy, drop a curtsy, bob, salaam, genuflect, bend the knee, kowtow - 1.1with object Express (thanks, agreement, or other sentiments) by bending one's head respectfully.
he looked at Hector before bowing grave thanks Example sentencesExamples - The dance ended and he bowed his thanks and left her in the middle of the ballroom.
- I bowed agreement, but ventured to make a suggestion.
- Just email me and rant and rave and I'll get back to you, bowing thanks for putting me on your favorites list!
- In his small webbed hands he held Spitz's helmet which Pax gently accepted bowing his thanks.
- She took his hands, and they bowed their heads together.
- The lad bowed his thanks and knotted the sash around his body in the usual fashion.
- He was genuinely pleased with this marriage and so Lydia could do nothing, but bow her thanks.
- The big retailers have no plans to bow this criticism, however.
- 1.2no object Bend the body in order to see or concentrate.
as adjective my mother sat bowed over a library book Example sentencesExamples - He stood from the upturned bucket he'd been sitting on and grasped my small hand in his, bowing over it to press his lips firmly onto my hand.
2Bend with age or under pressure. with object the vines were bowed down with flowers the grass bowed down before the wind Example sentencesExamples - Pensioners, although they appear bowed by the more strenuous life they once went through, find time for a humorous chat on a bench in front of St Mary's Church.
- So as not to feel Time's horrible burden, one which breaks your shoulders and bows you down, you must get drunk without cease.
- In both tests, the core failed to melt and showed no sign of panel bowing, bending, or deflection.
- If your walls are bowed, bumpy or imperfect, you might be able to achieve a better finish by stripping them bare.
- I did put out a quiver-tip, which rocked back and forth like a blade of grass bowing and stooping before the wind.
- 2.1 Submit to pressure or to someone's demands.
the mayor bowed to public opinion Example sentencesExamples - This fractured city, crow-branch black, is bowed with armies, bent and hungry, fed with air and black bread.
- Coming into the Olympics, the British sprinters' heads were bowed by the weight of their accusers and they ran as if carrying the cares of the world.
- Americans can make any graven image they wish to make, and bow down to whatever god or idol they wish.
- Ministers have bowed to pressure by weakening a series of expensive regulations after protests from cash-strapped home owners.
- We are expected to bow down before the divinely written Word, even when that Word famously, ludicrously contradicts itself over and over and over again.
- As Westerners bow down before multiculturalism, we anesthetize ourselves into believing that anything goes.
- In the meantime, we can only bow to the scorn of the multitude, and await the judgment of posterity.
- His mind was employed upon Christ, and even bodily he felt as if set free from a great burden which had bowed him down.
- Before the Constitution all other laws and legislation bow.
- Despite giving my backing to his campaign against New Years Eve parties as usual I bowed to peer-group pressure and went out on the night itself.
- Pro-European constitution campaigners last night refused to be bowed by the results of the poll.
- The seed and chemical giant bowed to pressure from a wide range of farm groups, who have been reacting to growing opposition from wheat buyers and consumers.
- He realizes that the misfortunes of life, like losing a job or a home, or disastrous illness, may bow him down but can never break him.
- Even after Monday night's recount result gave the seat to her opponent, she would not be bowed.
- The Government has bowed to pressure for an inquiry into the foot-and-mouth disease crisis and admitted lessons have to be learned.
- Late this afternoon, the fire department bowed to that pressure.
- But bowing your head against dark forces will only help them spread.
- If I can't get it out of you, by God, I will take off my hat and bow down and kiss the feet of the one that can do it better.
- If it comes to me having to totally sell out and bow down, I don't think I'll do it.
- There followed a prolonged period of discussion on the subject before John finally bowed to pressure from the floor and agreed to stay on for one more year.
- I fear that yes consumerism has become the new religion and that we are now obliged to bow down before the almighty market.
- But how many are there who can hear debt knocking at his door, with no end in sight; bowed by pain and sorrow in his family; and still do the right thing?
- But last week Britain, too, bowed to the pressure.
- Let's forget what makes Greenwich special and just bow down to whatever the property developers want.
- Now the Government has bowed to pressure and reversed its policy, in a move which should prevent such deaths from happening again.
- Only a day earlier, she had reluctantly bowed to pressure from senior Congress Party members to accept the job.
- Hindu temples have been attacked several times by gangs of Muslim youths, and he said they were not going to be bowed by the repeated attacks.
- What happened to her was tragic and awful, but she managed to maintain a level of happiness and refused to be bowed by her illness.
- But Thistle, to their credit, refused to be bowed and they continued to go for the winner.
- Last month, City of York Council chiefs bowed to pressure from city centre restaurateurs who said York's evening parking bans had badly affected trade.
Synonyms give in, give way, yield, submit, surrender, succumb, capitulate, assent, defer, kowtow, truckle, adhere, conform
3North American (of a movie or product) be premiered or launched. the trailer bowed in theaters nationwide on December 23 the Pentium III bowed in early 1999 Example sentencesExamples - The same can be said of other models bowing next year.
nounbaʊbou An act of bending the head or upper body as a sign of respect or greeting. the man gave a little bow Example sentencesExamples - Tyrielle went into a deep bow, his waist length hair touching the floor slightly.
- Chris gave her a mock bow, before taking her empty bottle.
- Davis looked up and gave a signal of approval, and after a quick bow, the pair of messengers was gone.
- I stood there for a while before wandering over to the fountain, where a Hispanic guy was taking mock bows for his friends.
- As the skyline took a descending bow, we felt the surge of power riding the carriage to the top.
- ‘Thank you, sire,’ she said in a bow before trailing after the two scouts in silence.
- Then she smiled nicely, took a little bow, blew a kiss, and gave just the briefest, politest, friendliest pump of a fist.
- They bent down on one knee in a bow before their king.
- They also saluted him with a deep 45-degree bow in his honor.
- Karajan modestly confines himself to initial bows and a last curtain embellished with bouquets.
- Branson inclined his head slightly in a bow, and Angelie curtsied again.
- He gave her a mock bow and pulled out a set of car keys from his pocket, ‘whatever you say, m'lady.’
- The song ended and I took a quick, self-conscious bow.
- Sir Robin, clean-cut and the soul of discretion, gives a brief head bow and addresses the Queen as ‘Your Majesty’.
- All of the younger class men sank to the floor in a bow, all except Jessica and Andrew.
- Grasping the baton with both hands, he takes a single low bow, then turns to face the orchestra.
- Chavez replied with a smile and a mock bow, just before he grabbed Pen's hands, swept her off her feet and carried her up into the air, screaming.
- I suppose my eyes conveyed the same message, and I smirked at him, inclining my head in a bow, before stepping up to shake his hand.
- He nodded towards the pictures and gave a mock bow.
- He looked down and saw she was on one knee, in a bow.
Synonyms inclination, obeisance, nod, curtsy, bob, salaam, salutation
Phrases Behave in an obsequious way to someone in authority. Example sentencesExamples - So Russ flipped out and is in trouble for attacking some poor guy who was probably not in the mood to bow and scrape before the superstar.
- A stubborn defender of his own beliefs, and commendably reluctant to bow and scrape at the altar of the Old Firm, he may have overstepped the mark this time.
- A series of columns in the November 25 issue all exhibited an irrepressible need to bow and scrape before the Republican right.
- He further remarked that Americans were fierce egalitarians who, despite differences of income and status, refused to bow and scrape before anybody.
- People are expected to curtsey, bow and scrape before them.
- The community are now having to bow and scrape, apologising and reasoning for what four freaks, four statistical anomalies, four twisted and tortured minds have done.
- How could a region that possessed such an incomparable language bow and scrape to States where people spoke the inferior Hindi?
- Just how long is a refugee supposed to bow and scrape?
- Why is it American media types bow and scrape before Europeans as our obvious genetic masters?
- Last month, I met him at another awards ceremony, and he got similarly royal treatment, with well-wishers and sycophants issuing forth to bow and scrape.
- The waiters will bow and scrape and tend to your every wish, for I will have pre-arranged this level of service with the manager.
- Don't call me Lord Peter, Charles, I refuse to allow a perfectly decent though rather dull man to bow and scrape to me!
- At the same time, don't bow and scrape before the vulgar, even when they are proud and full of themselves.
- The idea that we should bow and scrape to such a family is obscene.
- Break it up, and let us staff it with people who care about what they do, and do not have to bow and scrape to a Government bureaucracy that inhibits them from being as constructive as they possibly can be.
- The fact is that we are expected to bow and scrape to them simply because they were born with that name (or obtained it through marriage).
- I was of one of the most noble families of the Roman Empire, yet this man inspired such a fear in me that I would bow and scrape to him.
- But every time we do so, we have had to bow and scrape and beg and plead to please be allowed to do the right thing.
- Just so long as we don't have to bow and scrape too much we'll do our bit to improve her day, just as she's done hers to improve all of mine.
- You can bet on football and basketball with drug-dealing bookmakers as long as you bow and scrape and genuflect when called onto the commissioner's carpet.
Make one's first formal appearance in a particular role. he made his bow as a science fiction writer Example sentencesExamples - A group of young Burnley fans had a day to remember when Wimbledon made their bow at the National Hockey Stadium in Milton Keynes last weekend.
- The centre forward or centre half signed from Guiseley a few weeks ago but has only been available once so far, making tomorrow's game an ideal opportunity to make his bow at Station View.
- But Harry will not be getting any butterflies before he makes his bow after 15 years experience in the butchers trade.
- This is the first time they have progressed beyond the first round since making their bow in the competition in 1995.
- Snooker's glamour boy makes his bow in this year's UK Championship in York at 10 am on Wednesday morning.
- The 32-year-old, who was released by Boro at the end of last season, will join his new team-mates at training today before making his bow between the sticks in tonight's friendly against Gainsborough Trinity.
- Another Collyhurst lad makes his bow in the pro ranks on home turf.
- She makes her bow in a Grand Slam outside of Britain, losing in the first round of the 2003 Australian Open
- And he has asked the fans to continue pulling in the same direction as the mystery consortium which is looking to back the club, and carry on the fight in any way they can in readiness for the club to make their bow next season.
- Six years ago, he made his full international debut for England to join an elite list of national greats to make their bow around their 21st birthday.
(of a performer) acknowledge applause after a performance by bowing. figurative the aides do the grind work while the boss takes the bows Example sentencesExamples - The girls on stage took a bow and toddled offstage.
- A great round of applause sounded, and she tried to stand up and take a bow, but fell to the ground laughing.
- But he took a bow at the end with the rest of the cast and no attempt was made to remove him, so he was clearly part of the conception rather than a madman who had wandered in off the street.
- Her son Teddy, a musician in his own right who co-wrote some of the songs on her comeback album, tells her exasperatedly that she is meant to stay on stage at the end of her performance and take a bow, not scurry off into the wings.
- Finally, after our tearful father called an ambulance, Kelly jumped up, took a bow and said, ‘That was my impression of a dead baby bird!’
- When the song was over, everyone applauded and Hailey took a bow.
- It was smiles all round in Killarney as students took a bow at a special graduation ceremony.
- A pleasant applause filled the room and Will took a bow.
- All in all a great performance from everyone so take a bow folks and congratulations to all involved.
- A young woman takes a bow after her ‘performance’.
- As trading was described as being brisk throughout the weekend, the organisers of the 13 th Annual Foxford Craft Fair in Foxford must take a bow on a job very well done indeed.
- Charles, after seeing his partner run off, went to the center of the stage and took a bow, after which he was given tremendous applause from the highly amused audience.
- The girls filed past, and every other girl took a bow.
- The audience gave them a roar of applause as they took a bow.
- The band ends and the girls walk off after taking a bow.
- On a day when their three rookies took a bow, the away team could not repeat the spectacular start they had made a day earlier.
- When the conductor beckoned them to take a bow after the performance, the audience rose as one to acclaim them.
- At the end, about 30 came out and clapped and took a bow.
- One source familiar with the videotape said: ‘After throwing the vase, he takes a bow like he's just completed a performance on stage and then he takes a karate stance.’
- Those who organised the various events and there were many, must take a bow, for all of their efforts.
Phrasal Verbs Withdraw or retire from an activity, role, or commitment. many artists are forced to bow out of the profession at a relatively early age Example sentencesExamples - He will be missed when he bows out of competition.
- Such teachers might have taken early retirement or might have bowed out temporarily.
- He bows out, at least in terms of a formal campaign.
- By these accounts, it would seem that the only good politician is a non-politician, somebody who bows out deferentially to the sidelines.
- The dip in applications this year will be a further blow to principals, many of whom are struggling to fill vacancies caused by teachers retiring, bowing out early and leaving the job to go into other careers.
- That doesn't seem to be the case, though, as Pierce has decided to gracefully bow out of the role.
- The D.A. picks the prosecutors, then - usually - bows out.
- Peers cannot retire, so bowing out means they lose their right to expenses and allowances-worth up to £31,000 a year.
- I thought he missed his chance to bow out and retire undefeated - but then I am not the first, nor the last, to be wrong.
- The embattled leader has been told privately by senior advisers that he either bows out gracefully or risks bringing the party into a damaging dispute.
- Sometimes when a defense attorney bows out of a case it is because he or she has either come to know too much, has said too much, or has committed him or herself to too much to effectively defend the client.
- As he bows out of the race he has dominated for 7 years, Armstrong even seems to have finally won the battle for the respect, if not the affection, of France.
- They wanted to retire but feared that their club would fold if they bowed out.
- Later, Carmela finds one lawyer, but the effort to reach the unreported assets depends on the work of an investigator who bows out when he learns who is involved.
- This was a leader who had been transformed from a virtual electoral liability in 1999 into a probable asset for 2003, if he were to call one more election before he bows out.
- The York theatre legend had to bow out of the star role after the opening night when he was taken to hospital with intense stomach pains.
- She bows out because, if she does the talent show at all, she'd rather do a skit - or so she claims.
- After the collapse, I hastily bowed out and retired for a mug of hot, milky, sugary coffee.
- When Britain's most famous female golfer bows out of the American Tour, the Lancashire Girls champion from Pleasington is well on course to take her place.
- What Dawn actually has more of than the original is sharp observation of human nature; how people react in a crisis, how they arrange power structure in a group, who comes to the fore and who bows out.
Synonyms withdraw from, resign from, retire from, step down from, get out of, pull out of, back out of, stop participating in
Origin Old English būgan ‘bend, stoop’, of Germanic origin; related to German biegen, also to bow. nounboubaʊ The front end of a ship. water sprayed high over her bows Example sentencesExamples - When we stood at the bow of the ship we peered over the edge and watched the maidenhead get battered, the wooden carving taking the abuse in stride.
- Before he could say another word the pirate ran to the edge of the bow and jumped ship.
- I am in the musty storage bow of a sailless schooner on the murky waters of the river Styx.
- Steve stood at the bow of the ship, unprotected from the storm and hanging on for dear life as he pointed excitedly.
- Kerry's boat ran up to me in the water, bow on, and I was able to climb up a cargo net to the lip of the deck.
- Blackbeard's sword shone in the light, as he stood at the bow of the ship, one knee up, staring foreword at his island.
- The wide planing hull lends stability for easy shots down tough rapids, and the boat's upturned bow makes punching through big holes a cinch.
- There were shrapnel pockmarks from bow to stern, and the main living area was just one enormous cavity of burnt wood, twisted metal and torn cables.
- She stood at the bow of the ship, letting the breeze play with her hair.
- Without the support of the bowsprit, the long spar that extends forward from the bow of the ship, there was no support for the masts.
- The former, as prime contractor, builds the aft and central superstructure, the latter the ship's bow and distinctive pyramidal main mast.
- Although the public saw the usual hands at the wheel of the ship of state, they were as decorative as the figureheads on the bows of old sailing ships.
- A good 1500 meters stretched from the stubby bow back to the equally stubby stern.
- The twins stood at the bow of the ship as the creak and groan of ice echoed all around.
- Once they had hauled out their gear, he motored away, the flag on his little boat's bow snapping in the winter breeze.
- The ship has a bow and a stern ramp for fast landing of troops and combat material.
- The ceiling lights lit in a sequence from the aft deck to the bow of the ship and the floor lighting blinked twice before staying on.
- She turned to cross to the starboard side, but she saw Nathaniel laughing, and she changed her mind and stood at the bow of the ship.
- Sitting in the Sequoia's bow, I can hear only the creak of the oars and the muffled roar of the falls.
- The wrinkles dispersed like waves disappearing before the bow of a ship.
Synonyms prow, front, forepart, stem, rostrum, ram, nose, head, bowsprit, cutwater
Phrases Within 45° of the point directly ahead. Example sentencesExamples - ‘This will not be a problem as they will take this southwesterly gale straight on the bow of the ship,’ the department said.
- The dive boat hurtled at the swell, outboard motors bellowing, the white-knuckled skipper see-sawing the throttle, the rest of us staring transfixed at the crackling green breakers on the bow.
- Four miles out to sea, both Nicholas and Hays agreed that it would be a fine day to see a broadbill or spearfish on the surface and within ten seconds a fin obligingly appeared 300 yards away directly on the bow.
- We held on for dear life, braving the swells of the Tasman Sea, as the dolphins played on the bow and jumped in our wake.
- I can't work out whether they are swimming hard or perhaps riding a pressure wave, like a dolphin would on the bow of a boat.
a (warning) shot across the bows A statement or gesture intended to frighten someone into changing their course of action. supporters are firing a warning shot across the President's bows Example sentencesExamples - Most observers believe the bill was meant to be a shot across the Islamic Republic's bow.
- The recall vote was a shot across the bows for all politicians.
- This is simply a warning shot across the bows of the Iraqi leadership.
- There are not that many who have been completely barred but it's fired a warning shot across the bows.
- Apparently they sometimes give you a warning shot across the bows before they sink the fangs in.
Origin Late Middle English: from Low German boog, Dutch boeg, ‘shoulder or ship's bow’; related to bough. |