bent

¹ American  

[bent] / bɛnt /

adjective

1. curved; crooked: a bent stick.

   a bent bow;

   a bent stick.

   Synonyms:

   rounded , hooked

2. determined; set; resolved (usually followed byon ).

   to be bent on buying a new car.

   Synonyms:

   intent

3. Chiefly British Slang.

   1. morally crooked; corrupt.

   2. stolen.

      bent merchandise.

   3. unbalanced or crazy; irrational.

      Man, your take on things is so bent I can hardly follow it.

4. Chiefly British Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.  gay.

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noun

1. direction taken, as by one's interests; inclination.

   a bent for painting.

   Synonyms:

   bias , partiality , leaning , penchant , predilection , proclivity , propensity , tendency

2. capacity of endurance.

   to work at the top of one's bent.

3. Civil Engineering.  a transverse frame, as of a bridge or an aqueduct, designed to support either vertical or horizontal loads.

4. Archaic.  bent state or form; curvature.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of bend.

idioms

1. bent (out of shape),  angry or upset: Also bent up

   I like that you can share your thoughts on stuff and not get bent out of shape if I disagree.

   I don’t know why you’re so bent—I’m just a couple minutes late.

bent ² American  

[bent] / bɛnt /

noun

1. bent grass.

2. a stalk of bent grass.

3. Scot., North England.  (formerly) any stiff grass or sedge.

4. British Dialect.  a moor; heath; tract of uncultivated, grassy land, used as a pasture or hunting preserve.

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bent ¹ British  

/ bɛnt /

adjective

1. not straight; curved

2. (foll by on) fixed (on a course of action); resolved (to); determined (to)

3. slang

   1. dishonest; corrupt

   2. (of goods) stolen

   3. crazy; mad

   4. offensive  homosexual

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noun

1. personal inclination, propensity, or aptitude

2. capacity of endurance (esp in the phrase to the top of one's bent )

3. civil engineering a framework placed across a structure to stiffen it

bent ² British  

/ bɛnt /

noun

1. short for bent grass

2. a stalk of bent grass

3. archaic  any stiff grass or sedge

4. dialect  heath or moorland

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Etymology

Origin of bent¹

First recorded in 1350–1400 for the adjective and past tense; past participle of bend ¹

Origin of bent²

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; earlier benet-, bunet- (in compounds), Old English beonet-, beonot- (in placenames); cognate with Old High German binuz (compare German Binse ) “the rush plant”

Example Sentences

On either side, men bent at the waist, clearing fruit with one quick sweep of the knife and moving on to the next.

From Los Angeles Times

We rightly fear nuclear proliferation, and yet “amazing grace and good fortune,” and admirable postwar statecraft, “actually bent the arc of history.”

From The Wall Street Journal

With a legion of fans in the US, Irwin's finale had an Australian bent with one dance choreographed to a song by Australian rock band Jet.

From BBC

For income investors with a value bent, those six have the ingredients of a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings.

From Barron's

They bent recruiting rules, built giant stadiums and were criticized for runaway spending.

From The Wall Street Journal