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

I nodded and gave her a small wave, bowing out of our conversation.

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan

Related Words

• submission
• yielding