Adjacent Words

Unbending definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

UNBEND'ING, ppr.
1. Relaxing from any strain; remitting; taking from their yards, etc., as sails.
2. a. Not suffering flexure.
3. Unyielding; resolute; inflexible; applied to persons.
4. Unyielding; inflexible; firm; applied to things; as unbending truth.
5. Devoted to relaxation.
I hope it may entertain your lordship at an unbending hour.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: incapable of adapting or changing to meet circumstances; "a rigid disciplinarian"; "an inflexible law"; "an unbending will to dominate" [syn: inflexible, rigid, unbending]

Merriam Webster's

adjective Etymology: ¹un- Date: circa 1688 1. not bending ; unyielding, inflexible <an unbending will> 2. aloof or unsocial in manner ; reserved

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. 1 not bending; inflexible. 2 firm; austere (unbending rectitude). 3 relaxing from strain, activity, or formality. Derivatives: unbendingly adv. unbendingness n.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Unbending Un*bend"ing, a. [In senses 1, 2, and 3, pref. un- not + bending; in sense 4, properly p. pr. unbend.] 1. Not bending; not suffering flexure; not yielding to pressure; stiff; -- applied to material things. Flies o'er unbending corn, and skims along the main. --Pope. 2. Unyielding in will; not subject to persuasion or influence; inflexible; resolute; -- applied to persons. 3. Unyielding in nature; unchangeable; fixed; -- applied to abstract ideas; as, unbending truths. 4. Devoted to relaxation or amusement. [R.] It may entertain your lordships at an unbending hour. --Rowe. -- Un*bend"ing*ly, adv. -- Un*bend"ing*ness, n.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Unbend Un*bend", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Unbent; p. pr. & vb. n. Unbending.] [1st pref. un- + bend.] 1. To free from flexure; to make, or allow to become, straight; to loosen; as, to unbend a bow. 2. A remit from a strain or from exertion; to set at ease for a time; to relax; as, to unbend the mind from study or care. You do unbend your noble strength. --Shak. 3. (Naut.) (a) To unfasten, as sails, from the spars or stays to which they are attached for use. (b) To cast loose or untie, as a rope.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

If you describe a person or their behaviour as unbending, you mean that they have very strict beliefs and attitudes, which they are unwilling to change. He was rigid and unbending. ...her unbending opposition to the old regime. = inflexible ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. 1. Inflexible, unyielding, stiff, rigid, unpliant. 2. Unyielding, resolute, rigid, inflexible, firm, obstinate, stubborn.

Moby Thesaurus

adamant, adamantine, aloof, arrowlike, cast-iron, constant, dead straight, direct, distant, dour, even, firm, fixed, flat, flinty, fundamentalist, grim, hard, hard-core, hidebound, horizontal, immovable, immutable, implacable, impliable, in a line, inductile, inelastic, inexorable, inextensible, inextensile, inextensional, inflexible, insociable, intractable, intractile, intransigent, iron, ironbound, ironclad, ironhanded, irreconcilable, irresilient, level, lineal, linear, loyal, muscle-bound, nonelastic, nonstretchable, obdurate, obstinate, offish, orthodox, procrustean, purist, puristic, puritan, puritanic, rectilineal, rectilinear, relentless, reserved, right, rigid, rigorist, rigoristic, rigorous, rock-ribbed, rockbound, ruler-straight, set, settled, single-minded, smooth, sot, standoffish, staunch, steadfast, steady, steely, stern, stiff, straight, straight-cut, straight-front, straight-side, straightlaced, straitlaced, streamlined, stubborn, true, unaffected, unalterable, unapproachable, unbent, unbowed, unbroken, unchangeable, uncommunicative, uncompromising, uncurved, undeflectable, undeflected, undeviating, undistorted, unextendible, unextensible, unflappable, unflexible, ungiving, uninterrupted, unlimber, unmalleable, unmoved, unpliable, unpliant, unrelenting, unshaken, unswayable, unswerving, untractable, unturned, unyielding, upright, vertical, withdrawn