bowing

American  

[boh-ing] / ˈboʊ ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or art of playing a stringed instrument with a bow.

2. the individual way of using the bow in playing a stringed instrument, including the way in which the musician approaches the music emotionally, the articulation of individual notes, and the manner in which the notes of a passage are grouped together.

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bowing British  

/ ˈbəʊɪŋ /

noun

1. the technique of using the bow in playing a violin, viola, cello, or related instrument

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Other Word Forms

• unbowing adjective

Etymology

Origin of bowing

First recorded in 1830–40; bow ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

The sight of Salah scoring - then kneeling down and bowing his head to the floor in an act of prostration that Muslims call Sujood - will never be forgotten.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

Podcasts can run forever, but some hosts are bowing out as celebrities and YouTube dominate the industry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

She is bowing out after 37 years at the helm of the men’s line and will hand over to London designer Grace Wales Bonner in 2027.

From Barron's • Jan. 21, 2026

But in some respects, OpenAI is simply bowing to the inevitable demands of the marketplace with its apparent U-turn.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 19, 2026

Taking Lillian’s hand and bowing dramatically, Bull pulled his wife to her feet, held her close to his body, and they began to waltz around the veranda.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Related Words

• submission
• yielding