Search the Dictionary

A splice formed by bending a rope's and back, and fastening it into the rope, forming a loop or eye. See Illust. under Splice.

The action of a horse, when he throws himself on his haunches two or three times, bending himself, as it were, in very quick curvets. Harris.

nning off. -- Flange turning, the process of forming a flange on a wrought iron plate by bending and hammering it wh

The act of bending, or state of being bent.

The act of flexing or bending; a turning.

The act of flexing or bending; a turning or curving; flexion; hence, obsequious bowing or bending. Will it give place to flexure and low bending Shak.

The act of bending the knee, particularly in worship. Bp. Stillingfleet.

Surrounded with a halo; invested with an ideal glory; glorified. Some haloed face bending over me. C. Bronté.

Uniformly bending or curving to one side; -- said of leaves which grow on several sides of a stem.

Turning or bending towards moisture, as roots.

The act of bending, or curving.

Bending gradually toward the axis or center, as branches or petals.

A state of being bent or curved; incurvation; a bending inwards. Sir T. Browne.

on both indifferently. Shak. I hope it may indifferently entertain your lordship at an unbending hour. Rowe.

r changed; unyielding stiffness; inflexibleness; rigidity; firmness of will or purpose; unbending pertinacity; steadfastness; resoluteness; unchangeableness; obstinacy. The inflexibility of mechanism. A. Baxter. That grave inflexibility of soul. Churchill. The purity and inflexibility of their faith. T. Warton.…

A straining, stretching, or bending; the state of being strained; as, the intension of a musical string.

A stretching or bending of the mind toward of the mind toward an object; closeness of application; fixedness of attention; earnestness. Intention is when the mind, with great earnestness, and of choice, fixes its view on any idea. Locke.

A winding, bending, or twisting.

A machine for bending or straightening rails.

A bending of the knee, as in respect or courtesy. Give them title, knee, and approbation. Shak. Knee breeches. See under Breeches. -- Knee holly, Knee holm (Bot.), butcher's broom. -- Knee jerk (Physiol.) a jerk or kick produced by a blow or sudden strain upon the patellar tendon of the knee, which causes a sudden co…