ENGLISH
REFERENCE

bend down

phr. v..
A2 Elementary Oxford

phr. v.. to move the top part of your body toward the ground by curving your back or knees.

phr. v.. to incline the torso forward and downward, often by flexing the waist or knees, to reach a lower position.


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.

Particles
down
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
bend + down
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'.

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