bent

¹

[bent]

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.

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.

bent

²

[bent]

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.

bent

¹

/ 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

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

/ 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

Word History and Origins

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”

Word History and Origins

Origin of bent¹

Old English bionot ; related to Old Saxon binet , Old High German binuz rush

Idioms and Phrases

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.

Example Sentences

The sale of their shares will add to the three siblings' existing inheritance, but prevent them from having any influence over the political bent of the family's media conglomerate.

From BBC

In a corner of a cavernous 1890s factory in southern Massachusetts, 15 people are bent over sewing machines, churning out specialty, hospital-grade neonatal gear.

From BBC

"Sometimes they were getting bent out of shape. I was having to go back and get them fixed all the time."

From BBC

Nonetheless, the majority bent over backward to exclude the Fed from its ruling, previewing the court’s concern with maintaining fiscal autonomy.

From Salon

“They are essentially our reality check, conveying real-world experiences, with a funny bent, and putting it on a stage where you can connect with them.”

From Los Angeles Times