Bowing

5 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Bow \Bow\ (bou), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Bowed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Bowing}.] [OE. bowen, bogen, bugen, AS. b[=u]gan (generally
     v. i.); akin to D. buigen, OHG. biogan, G. biegen, beugen,
     Icel. boginn bent, beygja to bend, Sw. b["o]ja, Dan. b["o]ie,
     bugne, Coth. biugan; also to L. fugere to flee, Gr. ?, and
     Skr. bhuj to bend. [root]88. Cf. {Fugitive}.]


     [1913 Webster]
     1. To cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to
        inflect; to make crooked or curved.
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              We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to
              their natural straightness.           --Milton.
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              The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind
              of tyranny.                           --Prescott.
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     2. To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to
        bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion.
                                                    --Bacon.
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              Not to bow and bias their opinions.   --Fuller.
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     3. To bend or incline, as the head or body, in token of
        respect, gratitude, assent, homage, or condescension.
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              They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the
              ground before him.                    --2 Kings ii.
                                                    15.
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     4. To cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress,;? to
        crush; to subdue.
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              Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave.
                                                    --Shak.
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     5. To express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Bow \Bow\ (b[=o]), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Bowed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Bowing}.]
     To play (music) with a bow. -- v. i. To manage the bow.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Bowing \Bow"ing\, n. (Mus.)
     1. The act or art of managing the bow in playing on stringed
        instruments.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Bowing constitutes a principal part of the art of
              the violinist, the violist, etc.      --J. W. Moore.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. In hatmaking, the act or process of separating and
        distributing the fur or hair by means of a bow, to prepare
        it for felting.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  bowing
       adj : showing an excessively deferential manner [syn: {bowed}]
       n 1: bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or
            submission or shame [syn: {bow}, {obeisance}]
       2: managing the bow in playing a stringed instrument; "the
          violinist's bowing was excellent"

From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary [easton]:

  Bowing
     a mode of showing respect. Abraham "bowed himself to the people
     of the land" (Gen. 23:7); so Jacob to Esau (Gen. 33:3); and the
     brethren of Joseph before him as the governor of the land (Gen.
     43:28). Bowing is also frequently mentioned as an act of
     adoration to idols (Josh. 23:7; 2 Kings 5:18; Judg. 2:19; Isa.
     44:15), and to God (Josh. 5:14; Ps. 22:29; 72:9; Micah 6:6; Ps.
     95:6; Eph. 3:14).