bow
gb/bˈoʊ/ us/bˈoʊ/
A2
English
~ 6400
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
bend forward to show respect
To bend your head and body forward to show respect, thanks, or hello.
Usage pattern:
to bow to [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *bow* when they only mean to move the head slightly. For a small movement of just the head, *nod* is usually used. Also, do not say *bow down someone*; say *bow to someone* or *bow before someone*.
Synonyms
bend (More general; does not always carry the idea of respect or greeting.)
Antonyms
stand straight (Describes staying upright without bending the body at all.)
Collocations
bow deeply
|bow slightly
|bow to the audience
|bow before the king
|bow in greeting
Themes
social
|etiquette
|culture
|relationships
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The performers bowed to the audience at the end of the show.
- He bowed politely when he was introduced to the ambassador.
- Everyone stood and bowed their heads in silence.
- The students bowed to their teacher as she entered the room.
- She bowed before the statue as a sign of respect.
Learner examples
- The singer bows after the song.
- In Japan, people often bow when they say hello.
- He bows to the old man to show respect.
- The actors bow at the end of the play.
- She bows her head when she prays.
Noun
B1
entity
2
curved weapon for shooting arrows
A curved weapon with a string that is used to shoot arrows.
Usage pattern:
to use a bow and arrow
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this *bow* (/boʊ/) with the verb *bow* (/baʊ/) meaning to bend forward. Pay attention to the different pronunciation.
Synonyms
longbow (A specific, traditional type of tall bow used especially in medieval warfare and in sport.)
Antonyms
firearm (A contrasting modern projectile weapon powered by explosives rather than physical strength.)
Collocations
bow and arrow
|draw a bow
|string a bow
|recurve bow
|longbow
|archery bow
Themes
sports
|history
|weapons
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He trained for years to shoot a bow accurately in competitions.
- The hunter carried a bow and a quiver full of arrows.
- She pulled the string of the bow back to her cheek and released.
- Ancient warriors often used the bow as their main long‑range weapon.
- Modern archers carefully tune every part of their bow.
Learner examples
- He uses a bow to shoot arrows.
- She learns archery with a new bow.
- The bow is made of wood and strong string.
- He holds the bow in his left hand.
- They practice with the bow every weekend.
Noun
A2
entity
3
decorative ribbon knot with loops
A pretty knot with two loops and two ends, usually made from ribbon, used on clothes, in hair, or on gifts.
Usage pattern:
to tie a bow on [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes mix up *bow* and *knot*. A *bow* is a special kind of knot with two loops that is usually decorative; a *knot* can be any tied piece of string or rope and is not always pretty.
Synonyms
ribbon (Refers to the strip of material itself, not specifically the knotted, loopy shape.)
Antonyms
plain (Describes something with no decoration, the opposite of something decorated with a bow.)
Collocations
hair bow
|bow tie
|tie a bow
|pink bow
|a bow on the present
Themes
clothing
|daily life
|celebrations
|daily_life
Examples
- She wore a red bow in her hair.
- He finished wrapping the gift and added a gold bow on top.
- The little girl’s dress had a big bow at the back.
- He straightened his bow tie in the mirror.
- The shoes are decorated with small ribbon bows.
Learner examples
- She puts a blue bow in her hair.
- There is a big bow on the box.
- He wears a black bow tie to the party.
- I like the dress with the bow on it.
- My mother ties a bow on the present.
Noun
B2
entity
4
front part of a ship or boat
The front part of a boat or ship.
Usage pattern:
at the bow of [a ship]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse *bow* (front of a ship) with *prow*. *Prow* is more technical and literary; *bow* is the normal word in modern everyday English.
Synonyms
front (A more general word for the forward part of something; not specific to ships.)
Antonyms
stern (The back end of a boat or ship, opposite the bow.)
Collocations
the ship's bow
|stand at the bow
|from bow to stern
|waves hit the bow
Themes
transport
|sea
|travel
|transportation
Examples
- They stood at the bow of the ship and watched the dolphins.
- Huge waves crashed over the bow during the storm.
- The name of the boat was painted on the bow.
- The bow cut cleanly through the water.
- From the bow to the stern, the ship was full of tourists.
Learner examples
- He stands at the bow of the boat.
- Water comes over the bow in the big waves.
- The flag is on the bow of the ship.
- They walk from the bow to the stern.
- I like to sit near the bow when we sail.
Noun
B1
event
5
act of bowing in respect
The action of bending your head and body forward to show respect or thanks.
Usage pattern:
to take a bow
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *do a bow* instead of *take a bow*. The natural phrase in English is *take a bow* after a performance.
Synonyms
salute (A formal gesture of respect, especially in the military; not always done by bending the body.)
Antonyms
snub (To ignore or refuse to show respect to someone, the opposite of making a respectful bow.)
Collocations
take a bow
|deep bow
|polite bow
|a slight bow
|a formal bow
Themes
social
|etiquette
|art
|relationships
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The audience applauded loudly, and the actors took a bow.
- He gave a slight bow and left the room.
- With a deep bow, she accepted the award.
- The pianist ended the concert with a long bow to the crowd.
- She greeted the guests with a small bow and a smile.
Learner examples
- After the play, the actors take a bow.
- He gives a small bow to the teacher.
- She makes a deep bow to the king.
- The dancer finishes her show with a bow.
- He answers with a bow instead of words.
Verb
C1
action
6
yield or submit to pressure
To stop fighting against someone or something stronger and accept what they want.
Usage pattern:
to bow to [pressure/authority/demands]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with the physical action of bending the body. In this abstract sense, *bow* means to give in or accept control, not to literally move your body.
Synonyms
yield (A formal word that also means to give in or stop resisting, often used in similar political or social contexts.)
Antonyms
resist (To continue to fight against pressure or control instead of giving in.)
Collocations
bow to pressure
|bow to demands
|bow to public opinion
|refuse to bow
|bow to reality
Themes
politics
|social
|work
|relationships
|communication
Examples
- The government finally bowed to public pressure and changed the law.
- She refused to bow to the demands of the group.
- The company bowed to reality and canceled the failing project.
- He would not bow to threats or intimidation.
- The coach bowed to criticism and adjusted his strategy.
Learner examples
- The leader will not bow to the angry crowd.
- The company bows to new rules from the government.
- He does not bow to fear.
- They bow to public opinion and change the plan.
- She bows to the wishes of her parents.
Verb
B2
action
7
bend under weight or force
To bend, or make something bend, because of heavy weight or strong force.
Usage pattern:
to bow under [weight/pressure]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes only know *bend* and do not realize that *bow* can also describe something curving down because of weight or force. This sense is usually not about respect or greeting.
Synonyms
bend (A very general term; *bow* often suggests a more graceful or heavier bending.)
Antonyms
straighten (To make or become straight again after being bent.)
Collocations
bow under the weight
|bowed by age
|bow in the wind
|bowed branches
Themes
nature
|physics
|description
|science
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The old tree bowed in the strong wind.
- The shelves bowed under the weight of the books.
- His shoulders were bowed by years of hard work.
- The metal bar began to bow as more weight was added.
- The branches bowed low after the heavy snowfall.
Learner examples
- The tree bows in the wind.
- The table bows under the heavy box.
- His back bows because he is very old.
- The thin board bows when you stand on it.
- The flowers bow under the rain.
Noun
B2
entity
8
stick with hair for violin playing
A long, thin, curved stick with hair that you move over the strings of a violin, cello, or similar instrument to make sound.
Usage pattern:
to use a bow on [an instrument]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this *bow* (/boʊ/) with the weapon for arrows. Context about music or instruments shows that it is the musical tool.
Synonyms
fiddle bow (Informal term mainly used for folk or country violin playing; refers to the same object.)
Antonyms
pick (A small object used to pluck string instruments like guitar, contrasting with a bow, which is drawn across strings.)
Collocations
violin bow
|cello bow
|draw the bow
|rosin the bow
|a fine bow
Themes
music
|art
|instruments
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- He tightened the bow before tuning his violin.
- She drew the bow across the strings and began to play.
- The cellist broke a hair on his bow during the concert.
- You should rosin the bow regularly to get a clear sound.
- The musician bought a new bow made from carbon fiber.
Learner examples
- She moves the bow across the violin.
- He cleans his bow after practice.
- The bow is made of wood and hair.
- You need a bow to play the cello.
- He holds the bow in his right hand.
Verb
technical
C1
action
9
play strings using a bow
To make music on a violin, cello, or similar instrument by moving the bow over the strings.
Usage pattern:
to bow [a note/string/phrase]
Common mistake:
This sense is mainly used by musicians and music teachers. Learners may think it means to bend the body, but in music it means to use the bow on the strings.
Synonyms
play (Very general; *bow* specifically refers to using the bow rather than plucking or striking.)
Antonyms
pluck (To pull and release the strings with fingers, the main alternative to bowing on these instruments.)
Collocations
bow the strings
|bow each note
|bow smoothly
|bow the melody
Themes
music
|art
|performance
|arts_entertainment
|education
Examples
- The violinist bowed the notes very softly in that passage.
- You should bow each string separately in this exercise.
- Cellists often bow close to the bridge to change the tone.
- He bowed the melody while another player accompanied on piano.
- The teacher asked the students not to pluck but to bow the rhythm.
Learner examples
- She bows the violin slowly.
- He learns how to bow the strings correctly.
- The teacher tells us to bow each note.
- Do not pluck; please bow this part.
- They bow the melody together in the orchestra.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bow
IPA
GB/bˈoʊ/
US/bˈoʊ/
Syllables & stress
bow (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (bow)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: bow
- Plural: bows
Verb
- Base: bow
- 3rd Person Singular: bows
- Present Participle: bowing
- Past: bowed
Word family
Forms
bows
noun
bowing
verb
bowed
verb
Expressions
bow and arrow
1/bˈoʊ ˈænd ˈɛɹoʊ/
fixed phrase
set of bow plus arrows
A weapon set with a bow and the arrows that you shoot with it.
Examples
- He learned to hunt with a bow and arrow as a child.
- The museum displays an ancient bow and arrow.
- She bought a new bow and arrow for archery practice.
bow down
1/bˈoʊ dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
bend deeply in respect or worship
To bend your body forward low, often to show strong respect, worship, or that you accept someone’s power.
Examples
- They bowed down before the ancient statue.
- He refuses to bow down to anyone.
- The crowd bowed down as the leader passed.
bow out
1/bˈoʊ ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
withdraw politely from something
To leave a job, project, competition, or event, usually in a polite or quiet way.
Examples
- She decided to bow out of the race for health reasons.
- After ten years, he bowed out of the company and retired.
- The team bowed out of the tournament in the semi‑finals.
bow tie
1/bˈoʊ tˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
small necktie in bow shape
A small tie that you wear around your neck in a bow shape, often with a suit or for formal events.
Examples
- He wore a black bow tie to the wedding.
- The waiter’s uniform includes a white shirt and a red bow tie.
- I can never remember how to tie a bow tie properly.
bow to pressure
1/bˈoʊ tə pɹˈɛʃɚ/
fixed phrase
give in because of pressure
To do what other people want because there is strong pressure, even if you did not want to do it before.
Examples
- The company bowed to pressure and canceled the ad campaign.
- The minister refused to bow to pressure from his party.
- The school finally bowed to pressure from parents and reduced class sizes.
from bow to stern
1/fɹˈʌm bˈoʊ tə stˈɚn/
fixed phrase
entire length of a ship
From the front of a ship to the back of it; the whole ship.
Examples
- The ship was crowded from bow to stern.
- They cleaned the deck from bow to stern.
- The storm shook the vessel from bow to stern.
take a bow
1/tˈeɪk ə bˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
bow to receive applause or praise
To bend your body forward after a show, or after doing something well, so that people can clap or show they are pleased.
Examples
- After the speech, the audience cheered and he took a bow.
- The dancers took a bow and left the stage.
- You did a great job on that project—you can take a bow.
tied with a bow
1/tˈaɪd wˈɪθ ə bˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
fastened or decorated using a bow
Fastened or decorated with a ribbon that is made into a bow shape.
Examples
- The letters were tied with a bow and placed in a box.
- Each gift was tied with a bow that matched the wrapping paper.
- Her hair was tied with a bow for the party.