noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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General-American:/ˈboʊ.stɹɪŋ/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈbəʊ.stɹɪŋ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The string of an archer's bow.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The string of an archer's bow, as used by the Turks for strangling offenders.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To strangle with a bowstring.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
1909, O. Henry (William Sydney Porter), A Municipal Report I have seen (on one of my imaginary tours) the Sultan of Turkey bowstring with his own hands one of his wives who had uncovered her face in public.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
the string of an archer's bow
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: cord
History
Etymology
From bow + string.
Across languages
Translations
85 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Ahtna:
tsʼitlʼuuł
— string of an archer's bow
Southern Altai:
кириш
(kiriš)
— string of an archer's bow
Amharic:
የቀስት ክር
(yäḳäst kər)
— string of an archer's bow
Arabic:
وَتَر
(watar)
— string of an archer's bow
Armenian:
աղեղնալար
(aġeġnalar)
— string of an archer's bow
Azerbaijani:
kiriş
— string of an archer's bow
Belarusian:
цеціва́
(cjecivá)
— string of an archer's bow
Bulgarian:
тетива́
(tetivá)
— string of an archer's bow
Burmese:
လေးကြိုး
(le:krui:)
— string of an archer's bow
Cahuilla:
'alxawill
— string of an archer's bow
Catalan:
corda
— string of an archer's bow
Chinese Cantonese:
弓弦
(gung1 jin4)
— string of an archer's bow
Chinese Cantonese:
弦
(jin4)
— string of an archer's bow
Chinese:
гунщян
(gunxian)
— string of an archer's bow
Chinese Mandarin:
弓弦
(gōngxián)
— string of an archer's bow
Chinese Mandarin:
弦
(xián)
— string of an archer's bow
Chuvash:
хирлӳ
(hirlü)
— string of an archer's bow
Czech:
tětiva
— string of an archer's bow
Danish:
buestreng
— string of an archer's bow
Dutch:
boogpees
— string of an archer's bow
Dutch:
boogstreng
— string of an archer's bow
Estonian:
vibunöör
— string of an archer's bow
Finnish:
jänne
— string of an archer's bow
French:
corde
— string of an archer's bow
Georgian:
ლარი
(lari)
— string of an archer's bow
Georgian:
ლამბი
(lambi)
— string of an archer's bow
German:
Bogensehne
— string of an archer's bow
Ancient Greek:
νευρά
(neurá)
— string of an archer's bow
Hindi:
ज्या
(jyā)
— string of an archer's bow
Hindi:
प्रत्यंचा
(pratyañcā)
— string of an archer's bow
Hungarian:
íjhúr
— string of an archer's bow
Icelandic:
bogastrengur
— string of an archer's bow
Italian:
corda
— string of an archer's bow
Japanese:
弓弦
— string of an archer's bow
Japanese:
弦
(tsuru)
— string of an archer's bow
Kazakh:
адырна
(adyrna)
— string of an archer's bow
Khmer:
បន្លោះ
(bɑnlɑh)
— string of an archer's bow
Khmer:
ចាប
(caap)
— string of an archer's bow
Korean:
궁현
(gunghyeon)
— string of an archer's bow
Korean:
활줄
(hwaljul)
— string of an archer's bow
Korean:
활시위
(hwalsiwi)
— string of an archer's bow
Central Kurdish:
ژێ
(jê)
— string of an archer's bow
Northern Kurdish:
jih
— string of an archer's bow
Kyrgyz:
жаанын жиби
(jaanın jibi)
— string of an archer's bow
Lithuanian:
templė
— string of an archer's bow
Lü:
ᦉᦻᦂᦳᧂ
(ṡaayk̇ung)
— string of an archer's bow
Macedonian:
тетива
(tetiva)
— string of an archer's bow
Malayalam:
ഞാൺ
(ñāṇ)
— string of an archer's bow
Malayalam:
വിൽഞാൺ
(vilñāṇ)
— string of an archer's bow
Marathi:
प्रत्यंचा
(pratyañcā)
— string of an archer's bow
Mongolian:
хөвч
(xövč)
— string of an archer's bow
Mongolian:
ᠬᠥᠪᠴᠢ
(köbči)
— string of an archer's bow
Norwegian Bokmål:
buestreng
— string of an archer's bow
Church Slavic:
тѧтива
(tętiva)
— string of an archer's bow
Old English:
bogan strenġ
— string of an archer's bow
Pacoh:
tarxáng
— string of an archer's bow
Persian:
زِه
(zih)
— string of an archer's bow
Iranian Persian:
زِه
(zeh)
— string of an archer's bow
Middle Persian:
𐭦𐭩𐭧
— string of an archer's bow
Plautdietsch:
Boageseid
— string of an archer's bow
Polish:
cięciwa
— string of an archer's bow
Portuguese:
corda de arco
— string of an archer's bow
Romagnol:
cörda
— string of an archer's bow
Romanian:
coardă
— string of an archer's bow
Russian:
тетива́
(tetivá)
— string of an archer's bow
Serbo-Croatian:
тѐтива
— string of an archer's bow
Serbo-Croatian:
tètiva
— string of an archer's bow
Slovak:
tetiva
— string of an archer's bow
Slovene:
tetiva
— string of an archer's bow
Spanish:
cuerda
— string of an archer's bow
Swedish:
bågsträng
— string of an archer's bow
Tajik:
зеҳ
(zeh)
— string of an archer's bow
Tatar:
кереш
(kereş)
— string of an archer's bow
Telugu:
అల్లె
(alle)
— string of an archer's bow
Tocharian B:
wäntalyi
— string of an archer's bow
Turkish:
kiriş
— string of an archer's bow
Turkish:
yay kiriş
— string of an archer's bow
Turkmen:
kiriş
— string of an archer's bow
Tuvan:
кириш
(kiriş)
— string of an archer's bow
Ukrainian:
тятива́
(tjatyvá)
— string of an archer's bow