embowed, ppl. a.
(ɛmˈbəʊd)
[f. embow v.1]
1. Bent or curved into the form of a bow; convex, bow-like.
| 1578 Lyte Dodoens 707 Long lyke a Peare, with certayne embowed or swelling diuisions. 1591 Spenser Vis. Worlds Vanitie ii. With gilden hornes embowed like the Moone. 1639 Horn & Robotham Gate Lang. Unl. xciv. (1643) §759 A globe is round, being embowed on the out-side, and hollow on the in-side. 1697 Potter Antiq. Greece iii. vi. (1715) 61 The Wings are doubled, by bestowing the light-arm'd Men under them in an embow'd Form. 1855–9 Singleton Virgil II. 473 Th' imbowèd points together met. |
b. Her. (See quots.)
| 1610 J. Guillim Heraldry iii. xxii. (1660) 234 He beareth, Azure, a Dolphin Nasant, Imbowed Argent. 1761 Brit. Mag. II. 532 Two arms counter, embowed, and vested, gules. 1830 Robson Brit. Herald, Glossary, Embowed (Fr. courbé) bent, or bowed. Embowed contrary, bowed in opposite directions. Embowed dejected, bowed with the extremity turned downwards. 1864 Boutell Heraldry Hist. & Pop. x. 56 An Arm..when bent at the elbow is embowed. |
2. Arch. a. Arched, vaulted. b. Curved or projecting outward, so as to form a recess (cf. bow n.1 12, bow-window).
| 1481 Caxton Orat. P.C. Scipion D. viii. in Tulle on Friendsh. The stone werkes enbowed called the Arches tryumphal. 1580 North Plutarch (1676) 36 The fair embowed or vawted roofs. 1617 Sir R. Boyle Diary (1886) I. 169, I agreed with..the carpentere to putt a new compaste imbowed Roof on my Chapple. 1632 Milton Penseroso 157 Love the high embowéd roof. 1823 Rutter Fonthill 50 In the embowed recess are three windows. 1826 Scott Woodst. i, The ancient embow'd arches of the old chantry. 1864 D. Mitchell Sev. Stor. 205 An embowed window. |