bowstring

noun

bow·​string ˈbō-ˌstriŋ How to pronounce bowstring (audio)
: a waxed or sized cord joining the ends of a shooting bow

Examples of bowstring in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The organic material within the bowstrings was exceptionally well preserved because they have been dried out in the cave over thousands of years. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 5 Dec. 2024 The archers used long bows, which required a huge amount of rotation of the spine when pulling back on the bowstring. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024 The father of the siblings, who has recently died, kept a cluttered house, which must be organized for an estate and property sale, and the eldest of them, Toni, played by Paulson as tightly as a twanging bowstring, has fired the company that was meant to help. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 20 Dec. 2023 Apply slight pressure to the bowstring to set your grip into place, and keep your hand relaxed throughout the shot. Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2022 String the Bow Native Americans traditionally used rawhide or sinew for the bowstring, but nylon parachute cord or fishing line can work for a survival bow fashioned in the field. Keith McCafferty, Field & Stream, 29 June 2023 Step 13: Create your final bowstring using a new length of B-50 bowstring material. Andrew Del-Colle, Popular Mechanics, 16 Aug. 2020 If his pre-prison projects were almost entirely freestyled, these songs are more tightly written, honoring the fallen, indicting the double-talk of the industry, powered by the energy of a bowstring being pulled back for a half-decade. Jeff Weiss, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2023 For Eric Clem, meditation comes in fitting an arrow against a bowstring, pulling his arm back and seeking a target — in the great outdoors. Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bowstring was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near bowstring

Cite this Entry

“Bowstring.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bowstring. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

bowstring

noun
bow·​string ˈbō-ˌstriŋ How to pronounce bowstring (audio)
: the cord connecting the two ends of a bow
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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