Bend

verb bends · bending · bent · bended

1. transitive To cause (something) to change its shape into a curve, by physical force, chemical action, or any other means. If you bend the pipe too far, it will break.
2. intransitive To become curved. Look at the trees bending in the wind.
3. transitive To cause to change direction. Bend thine ear to supplication.
4. intransitive To change direction. The road bends to the right.
5. intransitive To be inclined; to direct itself. to whom our vows and wishes bend
6. intransitive, usually To stoop. He bent down to pick up the pieces.
7. intransitive To bow in prayer, or in token of submission. Each to his great Father bends.
8. transitive To force to submit. They bent me to their will.
9. intransitive To submit. I am bending to my desire to eat junk food.
10. transitive To apply to a task or purpose. He bent the company's resources to gaining market share.
11. intransitive To apply oneself to a task or purpose. He bent to the goal of gaining market share.
12. transitive To adapt or interpret to for a purpose or beneficiary. Palladius did not lie, although he might have bent the facts a bit and even passed over in silence whatever might not have benefited his client's cause.
13. transitive To tie, as in securing a line to a cleat; to shackle a chain to an anchor; make fast. Bend the sail to the yard.
14. transitive To smoothly change the pitch of a note. You should bend the G slightly sharp in the next measure.
15. intransitive To swing the body when rowing.

Similar: bend, bow, courb, curb, curl, curve, crook, flex, incurvate

noun bends

1. A curve. There's a sharp bend in the road ahead.
2. Any of the various knots which join the ends of two lines. A simpler version of the common bend with its ends in the same direction is used to join binder twine in a hay baling machine.
3. in plural A severe condition caused by excessively quick decompression, causing bubbles of nitrogen to form in the blood; decompression sickness. A diver who stays deep for too long must ascend very slowly in order to prevent the bends.
4. One of the honourable ordinaries formed by two diagonal lines drawn from the dexter chief to the sinister base; it generally occupies a fifth part of the shield if uncharged, but if charged one third. Perhaps the most celebrated coat of arms is that of Scrope, which is Azure a bend Or. This is the coat over which, from 1385 to 1390, Sir Robert le Grosvenor and Sir Richard le Scrope invoked the High Court of Chivalry to decide which of them had the right to bear these arms. Chaucer gave evidence b
5. obsolete Turn; purpose; inclination; ends. Farewell, poor swain; thou art not for my bend.
6. In the leather trade, the best quality of sole leather; a butt; sometimes, half a butt cut lengthwise.
7. Hard, indurated clay; bind.
8. in plural The thickest and strongest planks in a ship's sides, more generally called wales, which have the beams, knees, and futtocks bolted to them.
9. in plural The frames or ribs that form the ship's body from the keel to the top of the sides. the midship bends
10. A glissando, or glide between one pitch and another, especially one accomplished by bending a string (such as on guitar).

proper noun

1. A ghost town and former railway community in central British Columbia, Canada. Named after a 90-degree curve in the railway line.
2. A census-designated place in Tehama County, California, United States.
3. An unincorporated community in Maries County, Missouri, United States.
4. A city, the county seat of Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. Many locals thought doing so contradicted the democratic spirit of skiing, where strangers sharing a lift chair might include both billionaires with second homes in Bend and ski bums living in vans.
5. An unincorporated community in Meade County, South Dakota, United States.
6. An unincorporated community in Lampasas County and San Saba County, Texas, United States.
7. A surname.