bent
/bent/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Not straight; curved or angled: Describes something that has been forced out of its original straight shape.
- Determined or resolved: Having a strong intention or purpose to do something.
- (Of a person) Stooped: Having the back and knees not straight, often from age, strain, or habit.
Noun:
- A natural talent or inclination: A strong natural liking for something or a natural skill.
- A grassy area: A stretch of land covered with grass, especially unenclosed grassland.
- A mental inclination: A settled tendency to think or react in a particular way.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- The old man walked with a bent back. (Describing a stooped posture.)
- She was bent on finishing the marathon despite the pain. (Showing strong determination.)
- He tried to straighten the bent nail. (Describing a curved object.)
Noun:
- He has a natural bent for mathematics. (Referring to a natural talent.)
- The sheep grazed on the open bent. (Referring to a grassy area.)
- Her cynical bent makes her suspicious of everyone's motives. (Referring to a mental inclination.)
Advanced Usage
- "Bent out of shape" (idiomatic): Very upset, angry, or agitated.
- Don't get bent out of shape over a small mistake.
- "To the top of one's bent" (idiomatic): To the utmost degree; to one's full satisfaction or capacity.
- He enjoyed the holiday to the top of his bent.
Variants and Related Words
- Bend (verb): To curve or flex something straight.
- Bended (adjective, archaic/formal): Used in specific fixed expressions like "on bended knee."
- Bentwood (noun): Wood that has been artificially shaped into curves, used for furniture.
Synonyms
- Adjective (curved): Curved, crooked, twisted, warped.
- Adjective (determined): Intent, resolved, set, hell-bent.
- Noun (inclination): Aptitude, knack, propensity, leaning, predisposition.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Bend down: To stoop or lean forward from the waist.
- She had to bend down to pick up the coin.
- Bend over backwards: To make a great effort, especially to be helpful or fair.
- The company bent over backwards to accommodate the client's requests.
Related Idioms
- On a bender (slang): Engaged in a period of heavy drinking.
- He went on a bender after losing his job.
- Bend the rules: To interpret rules loosely or not follow them strictly.
- Sometimes you have to bend the rules a little to get things done.
Adjective
- of metal e.g.
- bent nails
- a car with a crumpled front end
- dented fenders
- used of the back and knees; stooped
- on bended knee
- with bent (or bended) back
- fixed in your purpose
- bent on going to the theater
- dead set against intervening
- out to win every event
Noun
- a special way of doing something
- he had a bent for it
- he had a special knack for getting into trouble
- he couldn't get the hang of it
- an area of grassland unbounded by fences or hedges
- grass for pastures and lawns especially bowling and putting greens
- a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
- the set of his mind was obvious