—bend /bend/
noun (ILLNESS)
the bends [plural]► F0 a serious medical condition that divers (= people who swim underwater) get when they come up to the surface of the water too quicklyThesaurus+: ↑Disorders and diseases of the heart and bloodnoun [C] (CURVE)
► B2 a curved part of something: » There's a bend in the pipe so you can't see from one end to the other.» The car came round the bend on the wrong side of the road.Thesaurus+: ↑Bends, loops and curves• • •
Extra Examples:» He came off the road while driving his car round a bend at high speed .» The river broadens out around the next bend.» Be careful when you're cycling because there are several sharp bends along the route.» The children are practising writing letters with lots of bends in them, like 's' and 'm'.» Why does your cat have that funny little bend in her tail?verb (bent, bent) (CURVE) ↑Verb Endings for bend
B2 [I or T] to (cause to) curve:
» The road bends to the left after the first set of traffic lights.Thesaurus+: ↑Bending, twisting and curvingB2 to move your body or part of your body so that it is not straight:
» I bent down and picked up the coins lying on the road.» Now, bend forward/over and touch your toes!» Make sure you bend your knees when you're picking up heavy objects.» After her fall she complained that she couldn't bend her leg properly.Thesaurus+: ↑Bending, twisting and curvingon bended kneeF0 in a position in which the knee of one leg is touching the floor:
» He went down on bended knee to ask her to marry him.Thesaurus+: ↑Sitting and standing• • •
Extra Examples:» Light rays bend as they pass from air to water.» You'll snap that ruler if you bend it too far.» the point where the road bends» His new trousers ripped when he bent down.» I bent down and picked up the coins lying on the road.