bent

1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of bend

comparative benter · comparative more bent · superlative bentest · superlative most bent

1. Folded or dented out of its usual shape.

   Synonyms: crooked

2. UKcolloquialCorrupt, dishonest.

   To say LAPD has a history of protecting bent cops and punishing honest ones is an insult to the annual drumbeat of new scandals.

   2026 August 4, Rob Beschizza, “16 felony charges for LAPD officer who recorded colleagues making racist, sexist and homophobic remarks”, in BoingBoing, retrieved 04 Aug 2026

   Synonyms: crooked

3. UKcolloquialderogatoryHomosexual.

   Asked bluntly by Julie Webb of the NME whether he was “bent” in December 1974, Freddie answered evasively: “You're a crafty cow. […]”

   2019 January 22, Joe Sommerlad, “The reasons why Bohemian Rhapsody faced such a massive backlash”, in The Independent

   Synonyms: queer, homophile, homosexual, like that, queer, similisexual, that way

4. with onDetermined or insistent; inclined, set.

   They were bent on mischief.

   2 more examples

   He was bent on going to Texas, but not even he could say why.

   […]in the ape posse, bent on vengeance, traversing landscapes clothed in snow and bristling with California red fir and silver pine, spooking human stragglers, and running across fresh graves as they search for the nameless colonel and try to piece together why the humans are killing each other.

   2017 July 7, Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, “The ambitious War For The Planet Of The Apes ends up surrendering to formula”, in The Onion AV Club

   Synonyms: hell-bent

5. Annoyed; out of sorts; having a bee in one's bonnet.

   Near-synonym: butthurt

   1 more example

   She was bent about "certain kinds of people" having civil rights; she wanted to roll those back.

   Synonyms: butthurt

6. Of a personleading a life of crime.
7. slangball gamesInaccurately aimed.

   That shot was so bent it left the pitch.

8. UScolloquialSuffering from the bends.
9. slangHigh from both marijuana and alcohol.

   Man, I am so bent right now!

plural bents

1. An inclination or talent.

   the top of one's bent

   3 more examples

   He had a natural bent for painting.

   They fool me to the top of my bent.

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii], page 384

   “The Kingdom of the Wicked” is not Mr. Burgess at the top of his bent. It is not schlock.

   1985 September 22, John Crowley, “St. Paul Meets Nero”, in The New York Times, →ISSN

   Synonyms: disposition

2. A predisposition to act or react in a particular way.

   His mind was of a technical bent.

3. The state of being curved, crooked, or inclined from a straight line; flexure; curvity.

   the bent of a bow

   1 more example

   the force they have in the discharge , according to several bents

   1648, John Wilkins, Mathematicall Magick. Or, The Wonders that may be Performed by Mechanicall Geometry. […], London: […] M[iles] F[lesher] for Sa[muel] Gellibrand […], →OCLC

4. A declivity or slope, as of a hill.

   Beneath the lowering brow, and on a bent, / The temple stood of Mars armipotent

   1700, [John] Dryden, “Palamon and Arcite”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

5. Particular direction or tendency; flexion; course.

   bents and turns of the matter

   a. 1705, John Locke, “Of the Conduct of the Understanding”, in Posthumous Works of Mr. John Locke: […], London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], published 1706, →OCLC

6. A transverse frame of a framed structure; a subunit of framing.
   1. businessSuch a subunit as a component of a barn's framing, joined to other bents by girts and summer beams.
   2. businessSuch a subunit as a reinforcement to, or integral part of, a bridge's framing.
7. Tension; force of acting; energy; impetus.

   the full bent and stress of the soul

   1707, John Norris, Practical Discourses Upon the Beatitudes of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

plural bents

1. countableuncountableAny of various stiff or reedy grasses.

   His spear a bent, both stiff and strong.

   1627, Michael Drayton, Nymphidia, published 1810, page 124

   2 more examples

   Gunga Dass gave me a double handful of dried bents which I thrust down the mouth of the lair to the right of his, and followed myself, feet foremost [...].

   1888, Rudyard Kipling, “The Strange Ride of Morrowbie Jukes”, in The Phantom ’Rickshaw and Other Tales, Folio Society, published 2005, page 121

   Clusters of strong flowers rose everywhere above the coarse tussocks of bent.

   1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “chapter 9”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC

2. countableuncountableBentgrass (Agrostis spp.).
3. countableuncountableA grassy area, grassland.

   c. 1500, The Ballad of Chevy Chase Bowmen bickered upon the bent.

4. countableuncountableOld dried stalks of grasses.

plural Bents

1. A surname