bend

bend1 [ bend ] (past tense and past participle bent [ bent ] ) verb ***

1. ) intransitive or transitive to lean forward and downward or move the top part of your body forward and downward:

He bent and kissed her quickly.

bend forward: She bent forward and whispered in my ear.

bend over: Bend over and touch your toes.

bend down: Helen bent down to pick up her pen.

a ) intransitive or transitive if you bend your head or if it bends, you move it forward and downward without moving your body downward:

The three of them sat there with their heads bent over their books.

2. ) intransitive to become curved or folded and not straight:

tools that will not bend or break under stress

bend under something: The slim branches were bending under the weight of their fruit.

a ) intransitive to move with a curving or folding movement:

bend in/out/forward etc.: The corners of the card bend inward to form tabs.

b ) intransitive if a road, river, etc. bends, it changes direction in the shape of a curve:

The path bends sharply just before you enter the wood.

c ) intransitive if light bends, it changes direction

d ) transitive if you bend an object, you change it so that it becomes curved or folded and not straight:

This type of pipe can be easily bent by hand.

bend something over/around something etc.: Bend the wires around the battery.

bend something into something: We bent the strips of clay into strange shapes.

e ) intransitive or transitive if you bend your arm, leg, etc., or if it bends, you move it into a position that is not straight:

His arm was so stiff he couldn't bend it at all.

bend someone's ear INFORMAL

to talk to someone for a long time, especially in order to complain about something or to discuss a problem

bend your mind/thoughts to something

to start to concentrate on something

bend over backward (to do something) INFORMAL

to do everything you can to help:

I bent over backward to make it easier for her and she didn't even notice.

bend the rules (for someone)

to do something or allow someone to do something that is not usually allowed, especially in order to make things easier on one occasion:

They shouldn't bend the rules for him just because he's the director's son.

bend someone to your will FORMAL

to use your power or influence to make someone do what you want them to do

bend the truth

to say something that is not completely true in order to achieve a goal:

He doesn't lie exactly he just bends the truth.

on bended knee(s) FORMAL

if you ask for something on bended knee, you ask for it very seriously because you want it very much

bend

bend 2 [ bend ] noun count **

1. ) a curve in a road, river, etc.:

As she approached the bend, a dog sprang into the road.

bend in: We came to a bend in the road.

around a bend: He sped around the bend, sounding his horn furiously.

a sharp/tight bend: a series of sharp bends in the river

2. ) a movement in which you bend your body, especially as an exercise:

Let's warm up with a few bends and stretches.

drive someone around the bend INFORMAL

to annoy someone very much

=> BENDS