BOW OUT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bow out mean? 

• BOW OUT (verb)
  The verb BOW OUT has 2 senses:

1. remove oneself from an obligation

2. retire gracefully

  Familiarity information: BOW OUT used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BOW OUT (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Remove oneself from an obligation

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

back down; back off; bow out; chicken out; pull out

Context example:

He bowed out when he heard how much work was involved

Hypernyms (to "bow out" is one way to...):

retire; withdraw (lose interest)

Verb group:

get out; pull out (move out or away)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bow out"):

resile (pull out from an agreement, contract, statement, etc.)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 2

Meaning:

Retire gracefully

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

bow out; withdraw

Context example:

He bowed out when he realized he could no longer handle the demands of the chairmanship

Hypernyms (to "bow out" is one way to...):

retire (go into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position)

Verb group:

retire; withdraw (withdraw from active participation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s