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bend

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verb British English pronunciation: bend /bend/ 
Word Forms
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present tense
I/you/we/theybend
he/she/itbends
present participlebending
past tensebent
past participlebent
Other entries for this word
  1. 1
    [intransitive/transitive] to lean forwards and downwards, or to move the top part of your body forwards and downwards

    He bent and kissed her quickly.

    bend forwards:

    She bent forwards and whispered in my ear.

    bend down:

    Helen bent down to pick up her pen.

    bend over:

    Bend over and touch your toes.

    be bent double (=be completely bent over):

    Tom was bent double, holding his stomach in pain.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of bend
    1. a.
      [intransitive/transitive] if you bend your head or if it bends, you move it forwards and downwards without moving your body downwards

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

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of bend
  2. 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.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of bend
    1. a.
      [intransitive] to move with a curving or folding movement
      bend in/out/forwards etc:

      The corners of the card bend inwards to form tabs.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of bend
    2. 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.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of bend
    3. c.
      [intransitive] if light bends, it changes direction
      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of bend
    4. 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/round something etc:

      Bend the wires round the battery.

      bend something into something:

      We bent the strips of clay into strange shapes.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of bend
    5. e.
      [intransitive/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.

      Thesaurus entry for this meaning of bend

phrases

This is the British English definition of bend. View American English definition of bend.

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