bend
gb/bˈɛnd/ us/bˈɛnd/
A2
English
~ 2500
hajlít, behajlít, lehajol, előrehajol, kanyar, hajlat, rugalmasan kezel, ferdít az igazságon
VERB
A2
1
Usage pattern:
to bend [something]
She bent the wire into a circle.
Kör alakúra hajlította a drótot.
He bent the metal bar with his hands.
Kézzel meghajlította a fémrudat.
The wind bent the tall grass.
Bend the paper slightly to fit it in the envelope.
Learner examples
I bend the spoon.
Meghajlítom a kanalat.
She bends her arm.
Behajlítja a karját.
He bends the stick.
Bend the card to put it in the box.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'bend' with 'fold'; 'fold' usually means to bring parts together, while 'bend' means to make curved without necessarily touching parts together.
Meaning
To curve or make curved
Collocations
bend a rule
|bend forward
|bend a pipe
|bend the knee
Synonyms
curve (Implies a smooth continuous shape rather than a sharp change in direction.)
Antonyms
straighten (Means to make something straight again after it has been bent.)
Themes
daily life
|movement
|objects
|daily_life
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make something change shape so that it is not straight.
To shape or force something into a curve or angle instead of a straight form.
VERB
A2
2
lehajol
A2
előrehajol
B1
Usage pattern:
to bend [forward/back/over]
She bent over to pick up the coin.
Lehajolt, hogy felvegye az érmét.
He bent down to talk to the child.
Lehajolt a gyerekhez, hogy beszéljen vele.
Bend forward and touch your toes.
I bent my head to avoid hitting the beam.
Learner examples
I bend down to tie my shoe.
Lehajolok, hogy bekössem a cipőfűzőmet.
She bends over the table.
Az asztal fölé hajol.
He bends forward to look at the book.
Bend your knees when you jump.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'bend down' with 'kneel'; kneeling involves resting on knees, while bending down does not necessarily involve touching the ground.
Meaning
To lean body or part forward/down
Collocations
bend forward
|bend over
|bend down
Synonyms
stoop (Often suggests a more pronounced or habitual bending, sometimes due to age or fatigue.)
Antonyms
straighten up (Means to return to an upright position after bending.)
Themes
daily life
|movement
|body
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To move your body or part of it down or forward by bending joints.
To lower or incline part of the body, especially by curving the back or limbs.
NOUN
A2
3
There’s a sharp bend in the road ahead.
Előttünk éles kanyar van az úton.
The river takes a bend near the village.
A folyó a falu közelében kanyart vesz.
We slowed down for the bend.
The pipeline has several bends.
Learner examples
There is a bend in the road.
Kanyar van az úton.
The river has many bends.
Sok kanyar van a folyón.
We stop before the bend.
The car goes around a bend.
Meaning
A curve in a path or object
Collocations
sharp bend
|around the bend
|a bend in the road
Synonyms
curve (More general term for any smoothly bending line or surface.)
Antonyms
straight section (A part that continues without turning.)
Themes
travel
|geography
|nature
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A place where something turns instead of going straight.
A curved section in something that is normally straight, such as a road, river, or pipe.
VERB
B1
4
Usage pattern:
to bend [the rules/truth]
Sometimes you have to bend the rules to help someone.
Néha rugalmasan kell kezelni a szabályokat, hogy segíteni tudjunk valakinek.
He bent the truth about his experience in the interview.
Az interjún ferdített az igazságon, amikor a tapasztalatairól beszélt.
They bent company policy for this case.
She bent the facts to fit her story.
Learner examples
He bends the rules at work.
A munkahelyén rugalmasan kezeli a szabályokat.
She bends the truth to look good.
Ferdít az igazságon, hogy jobbnak tűnjön.
We bend the rules for friends.
They bend the facts for their plan.
Meaning
To adapt rules for convenience
Collocations
bend the rules
|bend the truth
Synonyms
adapt (Neutral; means to adjust without implication of dishonesty.)
Antonyms
follow strictly (Means to obey rules exactly as they are written.)
Themes
daily life
|ethics
|communication
|business
|law
Definition
To change rules or facts a little to make them work for you.
To alter rules, facts, or situations slightly to suit one’s needs without completely breaking them.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bend
IPA
GB/bˈɛnd/
US/bˈɛnd/
Syllables & stress
bend (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (bend)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bend
- Plural: bends
Verb
- Base: bend
- 3rd Person Singular: bends
- Present Participle: bending
- Past: bended, bent
- Past Participle: bent
Word family
Forms
Related words
bendable
adjective
bendy
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
unbend
verb
Highlights
- Irregular past participle: bent Verb
Expressions
around the bend
1/ɚˈaʊnd ðə bˈɛnd/
idiom
informal
Completely crazy or insane
To be crazy or act in a very strange way.
Examples
- If you think I’ll do that, you’re around the bend.
- This heat is driving me around the bend.
bend someone's ear
1/bˈɛnd sˈʌmwˌʌnz ˈɪɹ/
idiom
informal
Talk for a long time about problems
To talk to someone for a long time about your problems or complaints.
Examples
- He spent an hour bending my ear about his job.
- She loves bending anyone’s ear who will listen.
bend over backwards
1/bˈɛnd ˈoʊvɚ bˈækwɚdz/
idiom
Make great effort to help
To try very hard to help someone or do something difficult.
Examples
- The staff bent over backwards to make us feel welcome.
- The staff bent over backwards to make sure we enjoyed our stay.
- She bent over backwards to meet the deadline.
- She bends over backwards for her friends, even when she is busy.
- The company is bending over backwards to keep its best employees.