in a general sense, the reducing a straight body into a curve, or giving it a crooked form.

The bending of timber-boards, &c. is effected by means of heat, whereby their fibres are so relaxed that you may bend them into any figure.

in the sea language, the tying two ropes or cables together: thus they say, bend the cable, that is, make it fast to the ring of the anchor; bend the sail, make it fast to the yard.