Word of the Day: Bend
Something once straight but then changed in the form of an angle is said to be bent. The word “bend” is often used as a verb:
| simple | past | past participle |
|---|---|---|
|
bend
|
bent
|
bent
|
- She’s bending her arms and legs.
- Her arms and legs are bent. (“Bent” is the adjective form of the word “bend.”)
- Can you bend at your waist and touch your toes?
- If your finger bends back too far it might break.
- I bent a couple of nails as I was nailing them into a piece of wood.
When the adjective “bent” is used, it usually means that something is disfigured or broken:
- The ends of a crowbar are bent.
- The bumper on Sheila’s car looks like it’s a little bent.
- Ted needs new glasses because the frame for the pair of glasses he has now is bent.
A popular expression in the United States is “bent out of shape.” It means that a person is upset or mad about something:
- Why is she so bent out of shape?
- Don’t get all bent out of shape.
- Ahmed got bent out of shape when someone broke the driver’s side mirror on his car.
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with B page to see the list of all words starting with letter B. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
