bow
Present Participle
bowing
Past Tense
bowed
Past Participle
bowed
1
to bend the head or move the upper half of the body forward to show respect or as a way of greeting
- As the queen entered the room, the courtiers bowed deeply.
- Upon receiving the prestigious award, the actor bowed to acknowledge the audience's applause.
- In many cultures, it is customary to bow when greeting elders as a gesture of politeness.
- The orchestra members bowed in unison after their outstanding musical performance.
- In the dojo, students were taught not only how to fight but also how to bow as a mark of mutual respect.
Synonyms:
2
to yield or submit to another person's wish, authority, or opinion
- During the negotiation, both parties had to compromise and bow to some of the opposing viewpoints.
- The manager was open-minded and willing to bow to new ideas from team members.
- In the family discussion, decisions were made by mutual agreement without anyone feeling the need to bow to pressure.
- In a democratic debate, candidates may need to bow to the voters' preferences to gain their support and trust.
- Successful leader are willing to bow to the collective intelligence of their team.
3
to play a musical instrument, typically a stringed one, using a narrow, slightly curved stick
transitive
- In the orchestra, the cellist carefully bowed each note.
- The musician demonstrated different techniques as he bowed the double bass.
- During the solo, the violist expertly bowed the melancholic melody.
- The young prodigy was able to flawlessly bow the intricate passages on the cello.
- She decided to learn how to bow the traditional folk tunes on her fiddle.
4
to express thanks, agreement, or other sentiments by bending one's head respectfully
transitive
- She glanced at her mentor before bowing a deep gratitude for their guidance.
- The athlete made eye contact with her coach, then bowed sincere appreciation.
- The student turned to his professor, offering a nod of acknowledgement before bowing heartfelt thanks.
- The recipient of the award turned to the presenter, offering a brief smile before bowing sincere thanks.