(arcus), a weapon of offence made of wood, horn, or other elastic matter, which, after being strongly bent, by means of a string fastened to its two ends, in returning to its natural state throws out an arrow with great force. It is also called the long-bow, by way of distinction from the cross-bow or arbalist.

The bow is the most ancient, and the most universal of all weapons. It has been found to obtain among the most barbarous and remote people, and who had the least communication with the rest of mankind.

The use of the bow and arrow was first abolished in France under Louis XI. in 1481, and in their place were introduced the Swiss arms, that is, the halberd, pike, and broadsword. The long-bow was formerly in great vogue in England; most of our victories in France were acquired by it; and many laws were made to regulate and encourage its use. The parliament under Henry VIII. complain "of the disuse of the long-bow, heretofore the safeguard and defence of this kingdom, and the dread and terror of its enemies." 33 Hen. VIII. cap. 6.

The art of using bows is called archery, and those practised therein, archers or bowmen. See Archery.

The strength of a bow may be calculated on this principle, that its spring, i.e. the power whereby it restores itself to its natural position, is always proportionate to the distance or space it is removed therefrom.

The most barbarous nations often excel in the fabric of the particular things which they have the greatest necessity for in the common offices of life. The Laplanders, who support themselves almost entirely by hunting, have an art of making bows, which we, in these improved parts of the world, have never arrived at. Their bow is made of two pieces of tough and strong wood, shaved down to the same size, and flattened on each side; the two flat sides of the pieces are brought closely and evenly together, and then joined by means of a glue made of the skins of perch, which they have in great plenty, and of which they make a glue superior in strength to any which we have. The two pieces, when once united in this manner, will never separate, and the bow is of much more force to expel the arrow, than it could possibly have been under the same dimensions if made only of one piece.

Among the ancients, the bow-string, called τείχωνις, was made of horse's hair, and hence also called ἀρτική; though Homer's bow-strings are frequently made of hides cut into small thongs: whence τείχωνις. The uppermost part of the bow, to which the string was fastened, was called καρυκη, being commonly made of gold, and the last thing towards finishing the bow. The Grecian bows were frequently beautified with gold or silver; whence we have mention of aurei arcus; and Apollo is called Αγρυπνος. But the matter of which they were ordinarily composed, seems to have been wood: though they were anciently, Scythian-like, made of horn, as appears from that of Pandarus in Homer, Iliad. 8. v. 105.

The invention of the bow is usually ascribed to Apollo, and was communicated to the primitive inhabitants of Crete, who are said to have been the first of mortals who understood the use of bows and arrows. And hence, even in later ages, the Cretan bows were famous, and preferred by the Greeks to all others. Some, however, rather choose to honour Perseus, the son of Perseus, with the invention of the bow; while others ascribe it to Scythes, son of Jupiter, and progenitor to the Scythians, who were excellent at this art, and by many reputed the first masters of it. From them it was derived to the Grecians, some of whose ancient nobility were instructed by the Scythians in the use of the bow, which in those days passed for a most princely education. It was first introduced into the Roman army in the second Punic war.

The Indians still retain the bow. In the repository of the Royal Society we see a West Indian bow two yards long.

The Scythian bow was famous for its incurvation, which distinguished it from the bows of Greece and other nations; being so great as to form a half moon or semicircle: whence the shepherd in Atheneus, being to describe the letters in Theseus's name, and expressing each of them by some apposite resemblance, compares the third to the Scythian bow; meaning not the more modern character Σ, but the ancient C, which is semicircular, and bears the third place in ΘΗΣΕΥΣ.

Cross-Bow, is also called arbalist or arbalite; which word is derived from arbalista, i.e. arcubalista, "a bow with a sling." The arbalist consists of a steel bow set in a shaft of wood, furnished with a string and a trigger; and is bent with a piece of iron fitted for that purpose. It serves to throw bullets, large arrows, darts, &c. The ancients had large machines for throwing many arrows at once, called arbalets or balistes.

Bow, is also an instrument used at sea, for taking the gun's altitude; consisting of a large arch of 90° graduated, a shank or staff, a side vane, a sight vane, and a horizon vane. It is now out of use.

Bow, among builders, a beam of wood or brass, with three long screws that direct a lathe of wood or steel to any arch; chiefly used in drawing draughts of ships and projections of the sphere, or wherever it is requisite to draw large arches.

Music, a small machine, which being drawn over the strings of a musical instrument, makes it resound. It is composed of a small stick, to which are fastened 80 or 100 horse hairs, and a screw which serves to give these hairs a proper tension. In order that the bow may touch the strings briskly, it is usual to rub the hairs with rosin. The ancients do not appear to have been acquainted with bows of hair: in lieu hereof they touched their instruments with a plectrum; over which our bows have great advantage, for giving long and short sounds, and other modifications which a plectrum cannot produce.

Bow, among artificers, an instrument so called from its figure; in use among gunsmiths, locksmiths, watchmakers, &c., for making a drill go. Among turners it is the name of that pole fixed to the ceiling, to which they fasten the cord that whirls round the piece to be turned.

town of Devonshire in England, 188 miles west from London, and a little to the west of Crediton, has a weekly market, and two fairs in the year. The court of the duchy of Lancaster is commonly kept here.

Bows of a Saddle, are two pieces of wood laid arch-wise to receive the upper part of a horse's back, to give the saddle its due form, and to keep it tight.

The fore-bow which sustains the pommel, is composed of the withers, the breasts, the points or toes, and the corking.

The hind-bow bears the torsequin or quilted roll. The bows are covered with sinews, that is, with bulls' pizzles beaten, and so run all over the bows to make them stronger. Then they are strengthened with bands. Bow (Epaule), in Ship-Building, the rounding part of a ship's side forward, beginning at the place where the planks arch inwards; and terminated where they close, at the stem or prow. It is proved by a variety of experiments, that a ship with a narrow bow is much better calculated for sailing swiftly, than one with a broad bow; but is not so well fitted for a high sea, into which she always pitches or plunges her fore-part very deep, for want of sufficient breadth to repel the volume of water which she so easily divides in her fall. The former of these is called by seamen a lean, and the other a bluff bow. "The bow which meets with the least resistance in a direct course, not only meets with the least resistance in oblique courses, but also has the additional property of driving the least to leeward; which is a double advantage gained by forming the bow so as to give it that figure which will be least resisted in moving through any medium."

On the Bow, in Navigation, an arch of the horizon comprehended between some distant object and that point of the compass which is right ahead, or to which the ship's stem is directed. The phrase is equally applicable when the object is beheld from the ship, or discovered by trigonometrical calculation: As, We saw a fleet at day-break bearing three points on the starboard-bow: that is, three points from that part of the horizon which is right ahead, towards the right hand. See the article Bearing.

Bow-dye, a kind of scarlet red, superior to madder; but inferior to the true scarlet grain for fixedness and duration. It was brought into England, and first practised at the village of Bow, near London, by Kephler, a Dutchman, in the year 1643.

Bow-grace, in the sea-language, a frame or composition of old ropes or junks of cables, used to be laid out at the bows, stems, and sides of ships, to preserve them from great flukes of ice, chiefly when they sail in high north or south latitudes.

Bow-net, or Bow-wheel, an engine for catching fish, chiefly lobsters and craw-fish, made of two round wicker baskets, pointed at the end, one of which is thrust into the other; at the mouth is a little rim, four or five inches broad, somewhat bent inwards. It is also used for catching sparrows.

Bow-legged or Bandy-legged. Some children are bow-legged from their birth; others become so from setting them on their feet too early. The tibia of some is crooked; the knees of others are distorted; from a fault in the ankle, the feet of some are turned inwards. These are called varus; and in others, who are called valgus, they are turned outwards. The best method of preventing these disorders in weakly children is to exercise them duly, but not violently, by dancing or toffing them about in one's arms; and not setting them much upon their feet, at least not without properly supporting them: if the disorder attends at the birth, or increases after it is begun, apply emollients, then apply boots of strong leather, wood, &c., so as gradually to dispose the crooked legs to a proper form; or other instruments may be used instead of boots, which, when not too costly, are usually to be preferred.

Slighter instances of these disorders yield to careful nursing, without instruments.

Bow-line, or Bowling, a rope fastened near the middle of the leech, or perpendicular edge of the square sail, by three or four subordinate parts called bridles. It is only used when the wind is so unfavourable that the sails must be all braced sideways, or close hauled to the wind: in this situation the bow-lines are employed to keep the weather or windward edges of the principal sails tight, forward, and steady, without which, they would always be shivering, and rendered incapable of service. To check the bow line is to slacken it, when the wind becomes large.

Bow-Pieces, are the pieces of ordnance at the bow of a ship.

Rain-Bow. See Rain-Bow.

Bow-Beaver, an inferior officer of the forest, who is sworn to make inquisition of all trespasses against vert or venison, and to attach offenders.