BOWER (bower)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected form: bower   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does bower mean? 

• BOWER (noun)
  The noun BOWER has 1 sense:

1. a framework that supports climbing plants

  Familiarity information: BOWER used as a noun is very rare.

• BOWER (verb)
  The verb BOWER has 1 sense:

1. enclose in a bower

  Familiarity information: BOWER used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BOWER (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A framework that supports climbing plants

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

arbor; arbour; bower; pergola

Context example:

the arbor provided a shady resting place in the park

Hypernyms ("bower" is a kind of...):

frame; framework (a structure supporting or containing something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "bower"):

grape arbor; grape arbour (an arbor where grapes are grown)

Derivation:

bower (enclose in a bower)

bowery (like a bower; leafy and shady)

• BOWER (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Enclose in a bower

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

bower; embower

Hypernyms (to "bower" is one way to...):

close in; enclose; inclose; shut in (surround completely)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

bower (a framework that supports climbing plants)

 Context examples 

The little house ceased to be a glorified bower, but it became a home, and the young couple soon felt that it was a change for the better.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

And she loved me so much, and was so captivating (particularly when she made Jip stand on his hind legs for toast, and when she pretended to hold that nose of his against the hot teapot for punishment because he wouldn't), that I felt like a sort of Monster who had got into a Fairy's bower, when I thought of having frightened her, and made her cry.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Amy arranged her bower, put on her best white frock, smoothed her curls, and sat down to draw under the honeysuckle, hoping someone would see and inquire who the young artist was.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

"I suppose it would be profanation to eat anything in this spick-and-span bower, so as I'm tremendously hungry, I propose an adjournment," he added presently.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

On the second Saturday after Jo got out of the window, Meg, as she sat sewing at her window, was scandalized by the sight of Laurie chasing Jo all over the garden and finally capturing her in Amy's bower.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Amy had a bower in hers, rather small and earwiggy, but very pretty to look at, with honeysuckle and morning-glories hanging their colored horns and bells in graceful wreaths all over it, tall white lilies, delicate ferns, and as many brilliant, picturesque plants as would consent to blossom there.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)