Bow vs Stick - What's the difference?

In intransitive terms the difference between bow and stick

is that bow is to defer (to something) while stick is to remain loyal; to remain firm.

In transitive terms the difference between bow and stick

is that bow is to make something bend or curve while stick is to propagate plants by cuttings.

As nouns the difference between bow and stick

is that bow is a weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows while stick is an elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.

As verbs the difference between bow and stick

is that bow is to play music on (a stringed instrument) using a bow while stick is to cut a piece of wood to be the stick member of a cope-and-stick joint.

As an adjective stick is

likely to stick; sticking, sticky.

As a proper noun Stick is

the Chapman Stick, an electric musical instrument devised by Emmett Chapman.

bow

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) boga, from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)

A weapon made of a curved piece of wood or other flexible material whose ends are connected by a string, used for shooting arrows.

A curved bend in a rod or planar surface, or in a linear formation such as a river (see oxbow ).

A rod with horsehair (or an artificial substitute) stretched between the ends, used for playing various stringed musical instruments.

A stringed instrument, similar to the item described above.

A type of knot with two loops, used to tie together two cords such as shoelaces or apron strings, and frequently used as decoration, such as in gift-wrapping.

Anything bent or curved, such as a rainbow.

* Bible, Genesis ix. 13

I do set my bow in the cloud.

The U-shaped piece which goes around the neck of an ox and fastens it to the yoke.

Any instrument consisting of an elastic rod, with ends connected by a string, employed for giving reciprocating motion to a drill, or for preparing and arranging hair, fur, etc., used by hatters.

(nautical) A crude sort of quadrant formerly used for taking the sun's altitude at sea.

(saddlery) Two pieces of wood which form the arched forward part of a saddletree.

Synonyms

* (bow-shaped bend) arc, bend, curve * (tool for playing stringed instruments) fiddlestick

Derived terms

* bow and arrow * bowman * bowmanship * composite bow * compound bow * crossbow * longbow * oxbow * rainbow * shortbow * bow tie

Verb

(en verb)

To play music on (a stringed instrument) using a bow.

The musician bowed his violin expertly.

To become bent or curved.

The shelf bowed under the weight of the books.

To make something bend or curve.

* Milton

We bow things the contrary way, to make them come to their natural straightness.

* Prescott

The whole nation bowed their necks to the worst kind of tyranny.

(figurative) To exercise powerful or controlling influence over; to bend, figuratively; to turn; to incline.

* Francis Bacon

Adversities do more bow men's minds to religion.

* Fuller

not to bow and bias their opinions

To premiere.

Cronenberg’s "Cosmopolis" bows in Cannes this week.

Etymology 2

From (etyl) . Cognate with Dutch buigen, German biegen, Danish bue.

Verb

(en verb)

To bend oneself as a gesture of respect or deference.

* 1900 , , (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz)

The soldier now blew upon a green whistle, and at once a young girl, dressed in a pretty green silk gown, entered the room. She had lovely green hair and green eyes, and she bowed low before Dorothy as she said, "Follow me and I will show you your room."

* , chapter=4

, title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.}}

(transitive, and, intransitive) To debut.

* 2010 (publication date), Kara Krekeler, "Rebuilding the opera house", West End Word , volume 39, number 26, December 22, 2010 – January 11, 2011, page 1:

SCP recently announced that How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical will bow on the newly renovated stage next December.

To defer (to something).

Derived terms

* bow down * bow out * bow and scrape * take a bow

Noun

(en noun)

A gesture, usually showing respect, made by inclining the head or bending forward at the waist.

He bowed politely as he entered the room.

A debut

The new product will make its bow on the world market this summer.

* {{quote-journal, 1832, , Literary Notices, The Rail-Road Journal citation

, passage=The first named one, it will be observed, is but a debutant. It makes its bow in a drab-colored Quaker-looking dress, and barring a lively McGrawler-like critique upon " Lewis' Poems," is staid and professorial in its tone.}}

Etymology 3

From (etyl) boech or (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)

(nautical) The front of a boat or ship.

* {{quote-book, year=1907, author=

, title=The Dust of Conflict , chapter=6 citation , passage=The night was considerably clearer than anybody on board her desired when the schooner Ventura headed for the land. It rose in places, black and sharp against the velvety indigo, over her dipping bow , though most of the low littoral was wrapped in obscurity.}}

Synonyms

* (of a ship) prow

Antonyms

* (of a ship) poop, stern

Derived terms

* bow shock * bow rudder

Anagrams

* English heteronyms English terms with multiple etymologies

stick

English

(wikipedia stick)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)

An elongated piece of wood or similar material, typically put to some use, for example as a wand or baton.

# A small, thin branch from a tree or bush; a twig; a branch.

#* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author=(Henry Petroski)

, title= Geothermal Energy , volume=101, issue=4, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame.}}

# A relatively long, thin piece of wood, of any size. (jump)

#* {{quote-news, 1887, August 23, The New York Times, title= At Work on the Thistle

, passage=It is a fine stick , about 70 feet long.}}

# (US) A timber board, especially a two by four (inches).

# A cane or walking stick (usually wooden, metal or plastic) to aid in walking.

#* , chapter=23

, title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=The slightest effort made the patient cough. He would stand leaning on a stick and holding a hand to his side, and when the paroxysm had passed it left him shaking.}}

# A cudgel or truncheon (usually of wood, metal or plastic), especially one carried by police or guards.

# (carpentry) The vertical member of a cope-and-stick joint.

#* {{quote-book, 1997, Joseph Beals, chapter=Building Interior Doors, publisher=Taunton Press, title= Doors, page=82, isbn=1561582042

, passage=When cutting the door parts, I cut all the copes first, then the sticks .}}

# (figuratively) A piece (of furniture, especially if wooden).

#* , edition=printed in Harper's New Monthly Magazine Vol. XXV, title= The Adventures of Philip, page=242

, passage=It is more than poor Philip is worth, with all his savings and his little sticks of furniture.}}

Any roughly cylindrical (or rectangular) unit of a substance. (jump)

# (chiefly, North America) A small rectangular block, with a length several times its width, which contains by volume one half of a cup of shortening (butter, margarine or lard).

# A standard rectangular (often thin) piece of chewing gum. (jump)

# (slang) A cigarette . (jump)

Material or objects attached to a stick or the like.

# A bunch of something wrapped around or attached to a stick.

(US)

# (archaic) A scroll that is rolled around (mounted on, attached to) a stick.

#* {{quote-book, 1611, , The Bible, edition=, section=(w) 37:16

, passage=Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick , and write upon it

# (military) The structure to which a set of bombs in a bomber aircraft are attached and which drops the bombs when it is released. The bombs themselves and, by extension, any load of similar items dropped in quick succession such as paratroopers or containers. (jump)

#* {{quote-book, 2006, (Farley Mowat), title= Aftermath: Travels in a Post-War World, isbn=0811733386, page=200

, passage=A stick of bombs fell straight across Wotton; blew up half a dozen houses.}}

#* {{quote-book, 2006, Holly Aho, page=48, title= From Here to There, isbn=1411675401

, passage=James and I were in the same stick of five guys going through free fall school last September.}}

A tool, control, or instrument shaped somewhat like a stick.

# (US, colloquial) A manual transmission, a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission,

## (US, colloquial, uncountable) Vehicles, collectively, equipped with manual transmissions.

# (aviation) The control column of an aircraft; a joystick. (jump)

# (aviation, uncountable) Use of the stick to control the aircraft.

#* {{quote-book, 1941, Jay D. Blaufox, 33 Lessons in Flying, page=47

, passage=For example: in making a turn, should you throw on too much stick and not enough rudder, you'll sideslip.}}

# (computing) A memory stick.

#* {{quote-news, 2007, May 1, Alex Fethiere, Tech front: Alex Fethiere takes eleven notable portables for a high-tech test-drive, title= Business Traveler

, passage= For ultimate presentation portability, a Powerpoint can be saved to a stick as images.}}

# (dated, metal typesetting) A composing stick, the tool used by compositors to assemble lines of type.

#* {{quote-book, 1854, Thomas Ford, title= The Compositor's Handbook, page=125

, passage=

# (jazz, slang) The clarinet. (jump)

#* {{quote-book, 1948, , Jazz Parody: Anthology of Jazz Fiction, chapter=Deep Sea Rider, editor=Charles Harvey

, passage=Arsene, boy, ain't you worried about your clarinet? Where'd you leave that stick , man?}}

(sports) A stick-like item:

# (sports, generically) A long thin implement used to control a ball or puck in sports like hockey, polo, and lacrosse. (jump)

# (horse racing) The short whip carried by a jockey.

# (boardsports) A board as used in board sports, such as a surfboard, snowboard, or skateboard.

# (golf) The pole bearing a small flag that marks the hole. (jump)

# (US, slang, uncountable) The cue used in billiards, pool, snooker, etc.

## The game of pool, or an individual pool game.

##*

(sports, uncountable) Ability; specifically:

# (golf) The long-range driving ability of a golf club.

# (baseball) The potential hitting power of a specific bat.

# (baseball) General hitting ability.

#* {{quote-news, 2002, May 19, Mike Lupica, New York Daily News, title= Just Need A Little Mo

, passage=Vaughn has to hit and keep hitting or this will be another year when the Mets don't have enough stick to win.}}

# (hockey) The potential accuracy of a hockey stick, implicating also the player using it.

(slang, dated) A person or group of people.

* {{quote-book, 1967, (Maurice Shadbolt), title= The Presence of Music: Three Novellas, page=54

, passage=Your father's a great old stick . He's really been very good to me.}}

# A thin or wiry person; particularly a flat-chested woman.

#* {{quote-book, 1967, Cecelia Holland, page=39, title= Rakóssy

, passage="She's a stick , this one. She lacks your—" he patted her left breast— "equipment."}}

# (magic) An assistant ed in the audience.

#* {{quote-book, 2001, Paul Quarrington, page=255, title= The Spirit Cabinet

, passage=The kid was a stick , a plant, a student from UNLV who picked up a few bucks nightly by saying the words "seven of hearts."}}

# A fighter pilot.

#* {{quote-book, 2001, John Darrell Sherwood, page=30, title= Fast Movers: America's Jet Pilots and the Vietnam Experience

, passage=Bill Kirk, described by Robin as a "hell of a stick ," didn't even attend college until after the Vietnam War.}}

# (military, South Africa) A small group of (infantry) soldiers.

#* {{quote-book, 2007, Bart Wolffe, page=245, title= Persona Non Grata, isbn=1430304774

, passage=I remember when we dreaded the rain, as our stick of soldiers walked through the damp, tick-infested long grass of the Zambezi valley,

Encouragement or punishment, or (resulting) vigour or other improved behavior.

# A negative stimulus or a punishment.

#* {{quote-news, 1998, January 23, Indian Express, title= Judicial activism has ushered in hope

, passage= What about contempt? Isn't it used by the judiciary as a stick to dissuade people from writing or talking about them?}}

# (slang, uncountable) Corporal punishment; beatings.

#* {{quote-book, 1999, Eve McDougall, page=69, isbn=190155709X, title= A Wicked Fist

, passage=The child killers got some stick . I saw a woman throw a basin of scalding water over a baby killer.}}

# (slang) Vigor; spirit; effort, energy, intensity.

= he threw himself into the task of digging

#* {{quote-book, 1979, Don Bannister, page=185, title= Sam Chard, isbn=071000219X

, passage='Choir gave it some stick on "Unto Us a Son is Born."' ¶ Cynthia nodded. ¶ 'It was always one of Russell's favourites. He makes them try hard on that.'}}

# (slang) Vigorous driving of a car; gas.

#* {{quote-book, 2006, Martyn J. Pass & Dani Pass, page=163, title= Waiting for Red, isbn=1905237553

, passage=Skunk really gave it some stick all the way to Caliban's place, we passed a good few Coppers but they all seemed to turn the blind eye.}}

A measure.

# (obsolete) An English Imperial unit of length equal to 2 inches.

#* {{quote-book, 1921, (Elmer Davis), page=61, title= History of the New York Times, 1851-1921

, passage=There was another speech in that day's news — a speech which The Times printed on the front page because it was part of a front-page story, and in full — it was only two sticks long; printed in full just after the much longer invocation by the officiating clergyman

# (archaic, rare) A quantity of eels, usually 25. (jump)

#* {{quote-book, 1866, James Edwin Thorold Rogers, section=Volume 1, page=171, title= A History of Agriculture and Prices in England, isbn=140217120X

, passage=The stick is employed for eels, and contained twenty-five.}}

#* {{quote-book, 1999, Claire Breay, page=62, title= The Cartulary of Chatteris Abbey, isbn=0851157505

, passage=In the same charter, Nigel granted another 10 sticks of eels yielded by the fishery of Polwere to the abbey

Usage notes

* Generally used in the negative, or in contexts expressive of poverty or lack.

Synonyms

* branch, twig; kindling, brush (uncountable) * (jump) two by four * cane, walking stick * stickshift; gearstick * plant, shill * piece, item * (jump) pin, flagstick * (jump) train * (jump) licorice stick * (jump) stich, broach * (jump) joint, reefer * See also

Derived terms

Note: Terms derived from the verb are found . * Chapman Stick * chopstick * clue stick * composing stick * dipstick * drumstick * give stick * glue stick * high-stick/high-sticking * hockey stick * in the sticks * it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog * joystick * lipstick * memory stick * nightstick * old stick * selfie stick * short end of the stick * speak softly and carry a big stick * stick deodorant * stick in the mud * stick of furniture * stick shaker * stickless * stickshift * walking stick * yardstick

Verb

(en verb)

(carpentry) To cut a piece of wood to be the stick member of a cope-and-stick joint.

Etymology 2

From (etyl) . Cognate to first etymology (same PIE root, different paths through Germanic and Old English), to stitch, and to etiquette, via French – see there for further discussion.

Noun

(-)

(auto racing) The traction of tires on the road surface.

(fishing, uncountable) The amount of fishing line resting on the water surface before a cast; line stick.

* {{quote-book, 2004, Simon Gawesworth, Spey Casting citation

, passage=Problem: A lot of stick and a lack of energy on the forward stroke.}}

A thrust with a pointed instrument; a stab.

Verb

To become or remain attached; to adhere.

To jam; to stop moving.

To tolerate, to endure, to stick with.

* 1998 , Patrick McEvoy, Educating the Future GP: the course organizer's handbook , page 7:

Why do most course organizers stick the job for less than five years?

To persist.

* {{quote-news, year=2011, date=December 10, author=David Ornstein quoting (David Moyes)

, work=BBC Sport , title= Arsenal 1-0 Everton , passage="Our team did brilliantly to be in the game. We stuck at it and did a good job. This is disappointing but we'll think about the next game tomorrow."}}

Of snow, to remain frozen on landing.

To remain loyal; to remain firm.

To hesitate, to be reluctant; to refuse.

* 1743 , Thomas Stackhouse, A Compleat Body of Speculative and Practical Divinity , edition 3 (London), page 524:

The First-fruits'' were a common Oblation to their Deities; but the chief Part of their Worship consisted in ''sacrificiing'' Animals : And this they did out of a real Persuasion, that their Gods were pleased with their Blood, and were nourished with the ''Smoke'', and Nidor of them; and therefore the more costly, they thought them the more acceptable, for which Reason, they stuck not sometimes to regale them with ''human Sacrifices.

* 1740 , James Blair, Our Saviour's divine sermon on the mount [...] explained , volume 3, page 26:

And so careful were they to put off the Honour of great Actions from themselves, and to centre it upon God, that they stuck not sometimes to depreciate themselves that they might more effectually honour him.

* (and other bibliographic particulars) (John Locke)

They will stick long at part of a demonstration for want of perceiving the connection of two ideas.

* (and other bibliographic particulars) Arbuthnot

Some stick not to say, that the parson and attorney forged a will.

(dated) To cause difficulties, scruples, or hesitation.

* (and other bibliographic particulars) Jonathan Swift

This is the difficulty that sticks with the most reasonable.

To attach with glue or as if by gluing.

To place, set down (quickly or carelessly).

* , chapter=8

, title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=Afore we got to the shanty Colonel Applegate stuck his head out of the door. His temper had been getting raggeder all the time, and the sousing he got when he fell overboard had just about ripped what was left of it to ravellings.}}

To press (something with a sharp point) into something else.

to stick a needle into one's finger

* (and other bibliographic particulars) (Dryden)

The points of spears are stuck within the shield.

# To stab.

#* circa 1583', John Jewel, in a sermon republished in '''1847 in ''The Works of John Jewel, Bishop of Salisbury , portion 2, page 969:

In certain of their sacrifices they had a lamb, they sticked' him, they killed him, and made sacrifice of him: this lamb was Christ the Son of God, he was killed, ' sticked , and made a sweet-smelling sacrifice for our sins.

#* 1809 , Grafton's chronicle, or history of England , volume 2, page 135:

#* (and other bibliographic particulars) (Sir Walter Scott)

It was a shame to stick him under the other gentleman's arm while he was redding the fray.

#* 1908 , The Northeastern Reporter , volume 85, page 693:

The defendant said he didn't shoot; "he sticked him with a knife."

To fix on a pointed instrument; to impale.

to stick an apple on a fork

(archaic) To adorn or deck with things fastened on as by piercing.

* (and other bibliographic particulars) (Shakespeare)

my shroud of white, stuck all with yew

(gymnastics) To perform (a landing) perfectly.

To propagate plants by cuttings.

(transitive, printing, slang, dated) To compose; to set, or arrange, in a composing stick.

to stick type

(joinery) To run or plane (mouldings) in a machine, in contradistinction to working them by hand. Such mouldings are said to be stuck .

(dated) To bring to a halt; to stymie; to puzzle.

to stick somebody with a hard problem

(transitive, slang, dated) To impose upon; to compel to pay; sometimes, to cheat.

Derived terms

Note: Terms derived from the noun are found . * stick by * sticker * stick to * sticktoitiveness * stick to one's guns * stick to one's knitting * stick up * stick up for * stick up to * stick with * sticky

Adjective

(er)

(informal) Likely to stick; sticking, sticky.

A non-stick''']] pan. A [[stick plaster, '''stick plaster.

A sticker''' type of glue. The '''stickest kind of gum.

Usage notes

* The adjective is more informal than nonstandard due to the prevalence of examples such as "non-stick pan" or "stick plaster". * The comparative and superlative remain nonstandard (vs. (stickier) and (stickiest)) and are sometimes seen inbetween quotation marks to reflect it.

Derived terms

* non-stick, nonstick * stick note * stick plaster

Etymology 3

Possibly a metaphorical use of the first etymology ("twig, branch"), possibly derived from the Yiddish schtick.

Noun

(en noun)

(British, uncountable) Criticism or ridicule.

* {{quote-news, 2008, May 3, Chris Roberts, It’s a stroll in the park!, Huddersfield Daily Examiner citation

, passage=I got some stick personally because of my walking attire. I arrived to training fully kitted out in sturdy walking boots.}}

Anagrams

* English ergative verbs ----