2. (Naut.) One who rows in the forward part of a boat; the
bow oar.
{Bow chaser} (Naut.), a gun in the bow for firing while
chasing another vessel. --Totten.
{Bow piece}, a piece of ordnance carried at the bow of a
ship.
{On the bow} (Naut.), on that part of the horizon within
45[deg] on either side of the line ahead. --Totten.
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.
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.
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.
4. The U-shaped piece which embraces the neck of an ox and
fastens it to the yoke.
5. (Mus.) An appliance consisting of an elastic rod, with a
number of horse hairs stretched from end to end of it,
used in playing on a stringed instrument.
6. An arcograph.
7. (Mech. & Manuf.) Any instrument consisting of an elastic
rod, with ends connected by a string, employed for giving
reciprocating motion to a drill, or for preparing and
arranging the hair, fur, etc., used by hatters.
8. (Naut.) A rude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking
the sun's altitude at sea.
9. (Saddlery) sing. or pl. Two pieces of wood which form the
arched forward part of a saddletree.
{Bow bearer} (O. Eng. Law), an under officer of the forest
who looked after trespassers.
{Bow drill}, a drill worked by a bow and string.
{Bow instrument} (Mus.), any stringed instrument from which
the tones are produced by the bow.
{Bow window} (Arch.) See {Bay window}.
{To draw a long bow}, to lie; to exaggerate. [Colloq.]