bends
v.v. to curve or change direction. You use this when something is not straight, like a road or a river.
v. to curve or change direction; to move in a curved path. Intransitive in its primary sense; transitive when meaning to force something into a curve.
The road bends sharply to the left.
The river bends around the hill before reaching the town.
The path winds through the forest, bending gently to avoid the steep cliffs.
Usage
The verb is intransitive when describing the subject's own movement; transitive when an agent forces an object to curve.
Last updated May 29, 2026