bender
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bender¹
- /ˈbɛndə/ UK
- /ˈbɛndɚ/ US
Rhymes with -ɛndə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
Hypotheses:
* bend + -er. In sense of “heavy drinking”, originally generally “spree”, from 1846, of uncertain origin – vague contemporary sense of “something extraordinary”, connection to bend (e.g., bending elbow to drink (bend one's elbow)) or perhaps from Scottish sense of “strong drinker”.
* In Britain, for about four centuries, a sixpence was known as a bender because its silver content made it easy to bend in the hands. This was commonly done to create ‘love tokens’, many of which survive in collections to this day. The value of a sixpence was also enough to get thoroughly inebriated as taverns would often allow you to drink all day for two pence. This gave rise to the expression ‘going on a bender’.
* (interjection): From over the bender, referring to a person's arm (and sometimes accompanied by a gesture of the thumb backward over the shoulder); compare over the left shoulder.
noun benders
- One who, or that which, bends.
- A device to aid bending of pipes to a specific angle.
- A bout of heavy drinking or drug use. He's been out on a bender with his mates.
-
A homosexual man.
“So they're easy about having a bender in the house, are they, their lordships?”
Similar: male homosexual
-
A simple shelter, made using flexible branches or withies.
Similar: bender tent
- A suspended sentence. 'Oh and Gary, what happened in Ahmed?' 'Not guilty, sir.' 'Oh no! And Tredwell?' 'Bender.' 'Suspended sentence? So both walked. […]
- A sixpence. What will you take to be paid out?’ said the butcher. ‘The regular chummage is two–and–six. Will you take three bob?’ ‘And a bender,’ suggested the clerical gentleman. ‘Well, I don’t mind that; it’s only twopence a piece more,’ said Mr. Martin. ‘What do you say, now? We’ll pay you out for three–and–
- A spree, a frolic.
- Something exceptional.
interjection
-
Used to express disbelief or doubt at what one has just heard.
Similar: bullshit
- Used to indicate that the previous phrase was meant sarcastically or ironically. O yes, I'll do it — bender!
Similar: I don't think, not, over the bender, over the left, over the left shoulder
Bender²
Where it comes from
From bender; the name was given to someone who bent things.
proper noun
- A surname.
Bender³
proper noun Bendery
-
A city and municipality of Moldova, under de-facto control of Transnistria.
Similar: Tighina
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: curve, tear, toot, bust, binge, booze-up, breaking ball, curve ball, bend, mugger, robber, splint, accident, fag, master, queer
interjection
Similar: I don't think, not, over the bender, over the left, over the left shoulder
Translations
Every language
noun device to help bending
| Español | dobladora, curvadora |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Biegevorrichtung, Biegegerät |
| Русский | трубогиб trubogib, трубогибочный стано́к trubogibočnyj stanók |
noun slang: bout of heavy drinking
| Français | soûlerie, beuverie, murge, biture, cuite, muflée |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Saufgelage, Besäufnis, Sauftour |
| Italiano | sbronza |
| Русский | попо́йка popójka, пья́нка pʹjánka |
Talk about this word "bender." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/bender. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. bender. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/bender "bender." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/bender.Cite this
@misc{bender_2026,
title = {bender},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/bender},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
