bent
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
How often you will meet it
Rank 990 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 18,507 times across 155,370 chapters — 0.009% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
noun
- a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way also: set the set of his mind was obvious
- grass for pastures and lawns especially bowling and putting greens also: bent grass, bent-grass
- an area of grassland unbounded by fences or hedges
- a special way of doing something also: knack, hang he had a bent for ithe had a special knack for getting into trouble
adjective
- fixed in your purpose also: bent on, dead set, out to bent on going to the theaterdead set against intervening
- used of the back and knees; stooped also: bended on bended kneewith bent (or bended) back
- of metal e.g. also: crumpled, dented bent nailsa car with a crumpled front end
bent in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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And I bent down and kissed her.
The Little Nugget · P. G. (Pelham Grenville) Wodehouse · Chapter 1
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Her head bent upon her tapestry, Mlle. Gilberte seemed to be working with incomparable zeal.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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Bobby glanced at the detective who bent over the bed watching him out of his narrow eyes.
The Abandoned Room · Wadsworth Camp · Chapter 1
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Piers Otway bent before her with unfeigned reverence; she dazzled him, she delighted and confused his senses.
The Crown of Life · George Gissing · Chapter 1
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As he bent to pick it up the door fell ajar, and a pungency of schnapps and tobacco went into his nostrils.
Myths and Legends of Our Own Land — Volume 02 · Charles M. (Charles Montgomery) Skinner · Chapter 1