bow — a knot tied with two loops and two loose ends, used especially for decoration
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a knot tied with two loops and two loose ends, used especially for decoration
Pronunciation (IPA): /baʊ/
Example Sentences
- The knight bowed so low that his bow tie touched his bow and arrow.
- She always wears a pink bow in her hair to school.
- The violinist's bow broke right before the big performance!
bow
NOUN[/baʊ/]
a knot tied with two loops and two loose ends, used especially for decoration
The violinist gives a deep bow as the audience erupts in applause.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Bow derives from Old English 'boga' (bow, the weapon) and 'būgan' (to bend, curve). The semantic evolution reflects the weapon's curved shape, extending metaphorically to the physical gesture of bending one's body in greeting, and further to the curved form of a ribbon or decorative knot.
Breakdown
boga (bow/curved weapon) + būgan (to bend, to curve), with the noun 'bow' and verb 'to bow' both stemming from this root sense of curvature and bending.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The knight bowed so low that his bow tie touched his bow and arrow.”
“She always wears a pink bow in her hair to school.”
“The violinist's bow broke right before the big performance!”
“When meeting the queen, remember to bow, not wave like you're saying 'wow!'”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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