Bend

/bɛnd/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A curve or angle in something straight.

There’s a sharp bend in the road ahead.

An act of bending.

He performed a bend to show his flexibility.

verb

To move or incline something away from a vertical or horizontal position.

He had to bend down to pick up the pen from the floor.

To yield or give way to pressure.

The tree branches began to bend under the weight of the snow.

To shape or force something straight into a curve or angle.

She had to bend the metal rod to fit it into the frame.

Old English 'bendan', meaning to make curved.

bend over backwards

To make a great effort to assist or please someone.

bend the rules

To break or adjust the rules slightly.

bend someone's ear

To talk to someone, often at length, about something.

bender

A person who bends something, or a tool used for bending.

unbend

To straighten something that has been bent.

To lose one's composure or control

He totally bent after that criticism.

To drink excessively for a period

We went on a bend last weekend at the party.