bending
Making something curved
Bending is the act of curving something that was straight, or the state of being curved.
It covers physical flexing—bending a wire, bending at the waist—and figurative yielding: bending the rules, bending to pressure.
A bending in a road or river is where it curves.
Bending something over itself
- twistingRotating with distortion
- curvingBending in arc
- shapingGiving something its form
- flexingContracting muscles voluntarily
curling · coiling · arcing · angling · warping · contorting · distorting · inclining
Curved line segment
- curveSmooth, angleless line
- radiusCenter-to-perimeter distance
- spiralCurve winding around center
- loopCurve closing on itself
bow · crescent · camber · crook · sweep · serpentine · meander · sinuous
Tendency to resume original form
- plasticityAbility to change shape
- ductilityAbility to stretch unbroken
- malleabilityCapacity for deformation without breaking
- pliabilityAbility to bend easily
flexibility · suppleness · springiness · stiffness · rigidity · brittleness · temper · yield
Extending muscles or material
- stoopingBending body forward
- crouchingBending low, knees bent
- kneelingLowering onto bent legs
- bowingBending forward in deference
genuflection · hunching · arching · contortion · limberness · supple · yoga · backbend
Coming apart suddenly
- stretchingExtending muscles or material
- circumventingAvoiding by going around
- skirtingAvoiding by going around
- manipulatingInfluencing through cunning
twisting · exploiting · loophole · workaround · fudging · liberties · interpreting · flexibility
Bending under pressure
- capitulationComplete yielding to demands
- acquiescenceUnresisting acceptance
- complianceAdhering to requirements
- concessionYielding a point
compromise · surrender · obedience · deference · kowtowing · genuflection · accommodation · relenting
Wave bending between media
- diffractionWaves spreading past obstacles
- prismLight-splitting optical element
- lensLight-focusing curved glass
- deflectionChange in trajectory
wavelength · optics · dispersion · aberration · caustics
Structural support member
- cantileverBeam supported one end
- momentBrief period of time
- loadCarried weight or burden
- deflectionChange in trajectory
stress · strain · modulus · structural · torque · shear · compression · tension
folding
Bending something over itself
flexing · curling · coiling · arcing · angling · warping · contorting · distorting · inclining · leaning
arc
Curved line segment
loop · bow · crescent · camber · crook · sweep · serpentine · meander · sinuous · undulation
elasticity
Tendency to resume original form
- plasticityAbility to change shape
- ductilityAbility to stretch unbroken
- malleabilityCapacity for deformation without breaking
pliability · flexibility · suppleness · springiness · stiffness · rigidity · brittleness · temper · yield · deformation
stretching
Extending muscles or material
bowing · genuflection · hunching · arching · contortion · limberness · supple · yoga · backbend · forward fold
breaking
Coming apart suddenly
- stretchingExtending muscles or material
- circumventingAvoiding by going around
- skirtingAvoiding by going around
manipulating · twisting · exploiting · loophole · workaround · fudging · liberties · interpreting · flexibility
yielding
Bending under pressure
- capitulationComplete yielding to demands
- acquiescenceUnresisting acceptance
- complianceAdhering to requirements
concession · compromise · surrender · obedience · deference · kowtowing · genuflection · accommodation · relenting · caving
refraction
Wave bending between media
- diffractionWaves spreading past obstacles
- prismLight-splitting optical element
- lensLight-focusing curved glass
deflection · wavelength · optics · dispersion · aberration · caustics
beam
Structural support member
- cantileverBeam supported one end
- momentBrief period of time
- loadCarried weight or burden
deflection · stress · strain · modulus · structural · torque · shear · compression · tension · torsion
- gerundswalking, running, talking, eating, sleeping
- mechanicsforce, turning, rotation, momentum, velocity
- motor skillsmotor skills, fine motor skills, motor control, gross motor skills, walking
- Body Movementwalking, running, jumping, stretching, leaning
- deformingtwisting, warping, curving, folding, stretching
- exertioneffort, straining, strain, heaving, labor
bendingunbending
Refusing to change position
stubborn · unyielding · defiant · inflexible · rigid
- bending overInclining torso downward
- bending the truthSelective honesty, misleading intent
- bending over backwardsExtreme effort to please
- bending the rulesInterpreting guidelines loosely
- bending the kneeAssuming a submissive posture
- gender bendingChallenging conventional identity categories