Phrasal verb
bend down
Definition
phrasal verb. to move the top part of your body toward the ground by curving your back or knees.
phrasal verb. to incline the torso forward and downward, often by flexing the waist or knees, to reach a lower position.
Examples
“I have to bend down to tie my shoes.”
“The tall man had to bend down to avoid hitting his head on the low doorway.”
“She watched the gardener bend down to inspect the delicate seedlings that were just beginning to emerge from the damp soil.”
Examples
simple
“I have to bend down to tie my shoes.”
contextual
“The tall man had to bend down to avoid hitting his head on the low doorway.”
complex
“She watched the gardener bend down to inspect the delicate seedlings that were just beginning to emerge from the damp soil.”
Usage
usually an intransitive action describing a physical movement of the body.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'lean over' (which implies a tilt from the waist) and 'crouch' (which focuses on the legs); 'bend down' is the most general term for reaching lower.
Pitfall
He bended down to pick it up.
He bent down to pick it up.
the past tense of 'bend' is 'bent', not 'bended'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
down
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
bend + down
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/bend-down