bowstring

C2 Topic:War & Conflict

US /ˈboʊˌstɹɪŋ/ UK /ˈbəʊstrɪŋ/ See IPA manual

Freq #110342

Meanings

1

noun
the cord stretched between the ends of an archer's bow and drawn back to shoot an arrow

She checked the bowstring for fraying before fitting an arrow.
2

noun
historical: a bow cord used as an instrument of strangulation or execution

Court rumor claimed that the condemned official had died by the bowstring.
3

verb
historical: to strangle or execute with a bowstring

The ruler threatened to bowstring any officer who deserted his post.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the cord stretched between... bow cordstring

2 noun · historical: a bow cord used... strangling cordgarrote

3 verb · historical: to strangle or... stranglegarrote

Word family

Derived forms bowstrung

Related forms bow arrow archerygarrote

Etymology

A compound of bow + string. Its primary sense is the cord that stores and releases a bow's energy. In accounts of Ottoman and other Eurasian courts, a silk bowstring was represented as an instrument for strangling condemned officials, producing the historical noun and verb senses.

Topics

War & Conflict

External links

# bowstring

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈboʊˌstɹɪŋ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈbəʊstrɪŋ/
**Frequency rank:** 110342

## Meanings
1. the cord stretched between the ends of an archer's bow and drawn back to shoot an arrow
2. historical: a bow cord used as an instrument of strangulation or execution
3. historical: to strangle or execute with a bowstring

## Examples
- She checked the bowstring for fraying before fitting an arrow.
- Court rumor claimed that the condemned official had died by the bowstring.
- The ruler threatened to bowstring any officer who deserted his post.

## Synonyms
- bow cord
- string
- strangling cord
- garrote

## Derived Forms
- bowstrung

## Related Forms
- bow
- arrow
- archery
- garrote

## Etymology
A compound of bow + string. Its primary sense is the cord that stores and releases a bow's energy. In accounts of Ottoman and other Eurasian courts, a silk bowstring was represented as an instrument for strangling condemned officials, producing the historical noun and verb senses.

## Topics
- War & Conflict

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