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Dent vs Bent - What's the difference?

dent | bent |

As nouns the difference between dent and bent

is that dent is a shallow deformation in the surface of an object, produced by an impact while bent is an inclination or talent.

As verbs the difference between dent and bent

is that dent is to impact something, producing a dent while bent is past tense of bend.

As an adjective bent is

folded, dented.

dent

English

Etymology 1

(etyl) . More at dint.

Noun

(en noun)
  • A shallow deformation in the surface of an object, produced by an impact.
    • The crash produced a dent in the left side of the car.
  • (by extension, informal) A sudden negative change, such as loss, damage, weakening, consumption or diminution, especially one produced by an external force, event or action
    • That purchase put a bit of a dent in my wallet.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=April 11 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Liverpool 3 - 0 Man City , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Andy Carroll's first goals since his £35m move to Liverpool put a dent in Manchester City's Champions League hopes as they were emphatically swept aside at Anfield.}}

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To impact something, producing a dent.
  • To develop a dent or dents.
    • ''Copper is soft and dents easily.

    Etymology 2

    (etyl), from (etyl) dens, dentis, tooth. See tooth.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (engineering) A tooth, as of a card, a gear wheel, etc.
    • (Knight)

    Anagrams

    * English ergative verbs ----

    bent

    English

    Etymology 1

    From bend.

    Verb

    (head)
  • (bend)

    • Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (Of something that is usually straight) folded, dented
  • (derogatory, colloquial, chiefly, UK) Homosexual.
  • Determined or insistent.
    • He was bent on going to Texas, but not even he could say why.
    They were bent on mischief.
  • Of a person, leading a life of crime.
  • (slang, football) inaccurate at shooting
    • That shot was so bent it left the pitch.
  • (colloquial, chiefly, US) Suffering from the bends
  • (slang) High]] from using both [[Cannabis, marijuana and alcohol.
    • Man, I am so bent right now!
    Synonyms
    * (folded) crooked * (homosexual) queer
    Derived terms
    * bent as a nine-bob note
    Related terms
    * (determined) hellbent

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An inclination or talent.
    • He had a natural bent for painting.
  • A predisposition to act or react in a particular way.
    • His mind was of a technical bent .
  • The state of being curved, crooked, or inclined from a straight line; flexure; curvity.
    • the bent of a bow
    (Wilkins)
  • A declivity or slope, as of a hill.
    • (Dryden)
  • Particular direction or tendency; flexion; course.
  • * John Locke
    • bents and turns of the matter
  • (carpentry) A transverse frame of a framed structure.
  • Tension; force of acting; energy; impetus.
  • * Norris
    • the full bent and stress of the soul
    Synonyms
    * (an inclination or talent) disposition, predilection, proclivity, propensity

    Etymology 2

    Origin uncertain. Apparently representing (etyl) (term) (attested only in place-names and personal names), cognate with Old High German binuz (modern German ).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any of various stiff or reedy grasses.
  • * Drayton
    • His spear a bent , both stiff and strong.
  • * 1888 , Rudyard Kipling, ‘The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes’, The Phantom ’Rickshaw and Other Tales , Folio Society 2005, p. 121:
    • Gunga Dass gave me a double handful of dried bents which I thrust down the mouth of the lair to the right of his, and followed myself, feet foremost [...].
  • * 1913 ,
    • Clusters of strong flowers rose everywhere above the coarse tussocks of bent .
  • A grassy area, grassland.
  • * The Ballad of Chevy Chase
    • Bowmen bickered upon the bent .
    English irregular past participles English irregular simple past forms ----