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

Some now are pressing pause, bowing out or trying to change things up creatively.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 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

Dodgers fans remember him as a 2021 trade-deadline acquisition going 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA in 11 regular-season starts but bowing out of a start in the NLCS.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2026

However he says he could only make the switch when his side were doing sufficiently well - otherwise it would look like he was bowing to external noise.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

"Pregúntale si quiere algo para tomar," Papá said, bowing his head and smiling.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez

Related Words

• submission
• yielding