Part 771

1. (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the genus Bos; relating to, or resembling, the ox or cow; oxlike; as, the bovine genus; a bovine antelope.

2. Having qualities characteristic of oxen or cows; sluggish and patient; dull; as, a bovine temperament.

The bovine gaze of gaping rustics. W. Black.

Bow (bou), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Bowed (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Bowing.] [OE. bowen, bogen, bugen, AS. bgan (generally v. i.); akin to D. buigen, OHG. biogan, G. biegen, beugen, Icel. boginn bent, beygja to bend, Sw. böja, Dan. böie, bugne, Coth. biugan; also to L. fugere to flee, Gr. &?;, and Skr. bhuj to bend. √88. Cf. Fugitive.]

1. To cause to deviate from straightness; to bend; to inflect; to make crooked or curved.

We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness. Milton.

The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind of tyranny. Prescott.

2. To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.

Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion. Bacon.

Not to bow and bias their opinions. Fuller.

3. To bend or incline, as the head or body, in token of respect, gratitude, assent, homage, or condescension.

They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 2 Kings ii. 15.

4. To cause to bend down; to prostrate; to depress,;&?; to crush; to subdue.

Whose heavy hand hath bowed you to the grave. Shak.

5. To express by bowing; as, to bow one's thanks.

Bow (bou), v. i. 1. To bend; to curve. [Obs.]

2. To stop. [Archaic]

They stoop, they bow down together. Is. xlvi. 2&?;

3. To bend the head, knee, or body, in token of reverence or submission; -- often with down.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. Ps. xcv. 6.

4. To incline the head in token of salutation, civility, or assent; to make bow.

Admired, adored by all circling crowd, For wheresoe'er she turned her face, they bowed. Dryden.

Bow (bou), n. An inclination of the head, or a bending of the body, in token of reverence, respect, civility, or submission; an obeisance; as, a bow of deep humility.

Bow (b), n. [OE. bowe, boge, AS. boga, fr. AS. bgan to bend; akin to D. boog, G. bogen, Icel. bogi. See Bow, v. t.]

1. Anything bent, or in the form of a curve, as the rainbow.

I do set my bow in the cloud. Gen. ix. 13.

2. A weapon made of a strip of wood, or other elastic material, with a cord connecting the two ends, by means of which an arrow is propelled.

3. An ornamental knot, with projecting loops, formed by doubling a ribbon or string.