bow

A weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows.

Holonym: bow and arrow

Bows come in a variety of different shapes, sizes and cultures, and what is true of one, is not necessarily true of another, so we're gonna be stereotyping here, but, in general, a bow is a way of launching a pointy stick at somebody that you don't like.

A curved bend in a rod or planar surface, or in a linear formation such as a river (see oxbow).

A rod with horsehair (or an artificial substitute) stretched between the ends, used for playing various stringed musical instruments.

A stringed instrument (chordophone), consisting of a stick with a single taut cord stretched between the ends, most often played by plucking.

A type of knot with two loops, used to tie together two cords such as shoelaces or apron strings, and frequently used as decoration, such as in gift-wrapping.

To play music on (a stringed) instrument using a bow.

The musician bowed his violin expertly.

To bend or curve, particularly downward.

The shelf bowed under the weight of the books.

How long wil ye imagine mischiefe against a man? ye shall be slaine all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.

To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend or incline, figuratively; to humble or subdue.

Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion.

not to bow and bias their opinions

To bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference.

The soldier now blew upon a green whistle, and at once a young girl, dressed in a pretty green silk gown, entered the room. She had lovely green hair and green eyes, and she bowed low before Dorothy as she said, "Follow me and I will show you your room."

I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.

To debut.

The show bowed in the first week of December, 1951. Dinah was ready, and so were the technicians who put on her makeup […]

SCP recently announced that How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will bow on the newly renovated stage next December.

To defer (to something).

I bow to your better judgement in the matter.

To give a direction, indication, or command to by bowing.

“This way, monsieur,” he said, and led the way up the broad, marble staircase. In another moment he had opened a door, and, drawing aside a heavy curtain, obsequiously bowed Tarzan into a dimly lighted apartment. Then Jacques vanished.

Poirot rose gallantly, bowed her into the seat opposite him.