adjective / noun
bent
BENT/bent/
Departing from a straight line or course.
The bent nail has a sharply angled shaft beside the straight one.
Etymology
Bent is the past participle of a verb originally used for bending a bow. The curved shape needed to string a bow supplied the broader meaning of being curved rather than straight.
In context
When we see it in the air, we see that it is straight. But when the straw inserted into water, it appears to be sharply bent.
More examples
- She has a natural bent for solving mechanical problems.
- He is bent on finishing the race.
- The investigation exposed a bent official who accepted bribes.
Forms
bent · bents
Similar words
- curved
- Describes shape without necessarily implying previous distortion.
- inclination
- Names a tendency or preference without the physical sense.