down-bow

American  

[doun-boh] / ˈdaʊnˌboʊ /

noun

Music.

1. (in bowing bow on a stringed instrument) a stroke bringing the tip of the bow toward the strings, indicated in scores by the symbol (up-bow ).

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down-bow British  

/ ˈdaʊnˌbəʊ /

noun

1. a downward stroke of the bow from its nut to its tip across a stringed instrument Compare up-bow

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Etymology

Origin of down-bow

First recorded in 1890–95; down ¹ + bow ²

Example Sentences

The soloists evoke characters: Ms. Wu’s pipa on a merry walk, matched by Mr. Ma’s bouncing, buoyant down-bow strokes.

From New York Times

In music for stringed instruments of the violin family, the sign indicates down-bow and the sign up-bow.

From Project Gutenberg

A quick down-bow follows with an immediate release of the string.

From Project Gutenberg

In cello music the down-bow sign is sometimes written .

From Project Gutenberg

The fiddlers best qualified to speak with authority will often disagree absolutely regarding the use of a string, position, up-bow or down-bow.

From Project Gutenberg