Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Bent \Bent\, a. & p. p.
   1. Changed by pressure so as to be no longer straight;
      crooked; as, a bent pin; a bent lever.

   2. Strongly inclined toward something, so as to be resolved,
      determined, set, etc.; -- said of the mind, character,
      disposition, desires, etc., and used with on; as, to be
      bent on going to college; he is bent on mischief.

Bent \Bent\,
   imp. & p. p. of {Bend}.

Bent \Bent\, n. [See {Bend}, n. & v.]
   1. The state of being curved, crooked, or inclined from a
      straight line; flexure; curvity; as, the bent of a bow.
      [Obs.] --Wilkins.

   2. A declivity or slope, as of a hill. [R.] --Dryden.

   3. A leaning or bias; proclivity; tendency of mind;
      inclination; disposition; purpose; aim. --Shak.

            With a native bent did good pursue.   --Dryden.

   4. Particular direction or tendency; flexion; course.

            Bents and turns of the matter.        --Locke.

   5. (Carp.) A transverse frame of a framed structure.

   6. Tension; force of acting; energy; impetus. [Archaic]

            The full bent and stress of the soul. --Norris.

   Syn: Predilection; turn.

   Usage: {Bent}, {Bias}, {Inclination}, {Prepossession}. These
          words agree in describing a permanent influence upon
          the mind which tends to decide its actions. Bent
          denotes a fixed tendency of the mind in a given
          direction. It is the widest of these terms, and
          applies to the will, the intellect, and the
          affections, taken conjointly; as, the whole bent of
          his character was toward evil practices. Bias is
          literally a weight fixed on one side of a ball used in
          bowling, and causing it to swerve from a straight
          course. Used figuratively, bias applies particularly
          to the judgment, and denotes something which acts with
          a permanent force on the character through that
          faculty; as, the bias of early education, early
          habits, etc. Inclination is an excited state of desire
          or appetency; as, a strong inclination to the study of
          the law. Prepossession is a mingled state of feeling
          and opinion in respect to some person or subject,
          which has laid hold of and occupied the mind previous
          to inquiry. The word is commonly used in a good sense,
          an unfavorable impression of this kind being
          denominated a prejudice. ``Strong minds will be
          strongly bent, and usually labor under a strong bias;
          but there is no mind so weak and powerless as not to
          have its inclinations, and none so guarded as to be
          without its prepossessions.'' --Crabb.

Bent \Bent\, n. [AS. beonet; akin to OHG. pinuz, G. binse, rush,
   bent grass; of unknown origin.]
   1. A reedlike grass; a stalk of stiff, coarse grass.

            His spear a bent, both stiff and strong. --Drayton.

   2. (Bot.) A grass of the genus {Agrostis}, esp. {Agrostis
      vulgaris}, or redtop. The name is also used of many other
      grasses, esp. in America.

   3. Any neglected field or broken ground; a common; a moor.
      [Obs.] --Wright.

            Bowmen bickered upon the bent.        --Chevy Chase.

Bend \Bend\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Bended} or {Bent}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Bending}.] [AS. bendan to bend, fr. bend a band,
   bond, fr. bindan to bind. See {Bind}, v. t., and cf. 3d & 4th
   {Bend}.]
   1. To strain or move out of a straight line; to crook by
      straining; to make crooked; to curve; to make ready for
      use by drawing into a curve; as, to bend a bow; to bend
      the knee.

   2. To turn toward some certain point; to direct; to incline.
      ``Bend thine ear to supplication.'' --Milton.

            Towards Coventry bend we our course.  --Shak.

            Bending her eyes . . . upon her parent. --Sir W.
                                                  Scott.

   3. To apply closely or with interest; to direct.

            To bend his mind to any public business. --Temple.

            But when to mischief mortals bend their will.
                                                  --Pope.

   4. To cause to yield; to render submissive; to subdue.
      ``Except she bend her humor.'' --Shak.

   5. (Naut.) To fasten, as one rope to another, or as a sail to
      its yard or stay; or as a cable to the ring of an anchor.
      --Totten.

   {To bend the brow}, to knit the brow, as in deep thought or
      in anger; to scowl; to frown. --Camden.

   Syn: To lean; stoop; deflect; bow; yield.

Source : WordNet®

bend
     n 1: a circular segment of a curve; "a bend in the road"; "a
          crook in the path" [syn: {crook}, {turn}]
     2: movement that causes the formation of a curve [syn: {bending}]
     3: curved segment (of a road or river or railroad track etc.)
        [syn: {curve}]
     4: an angular or rounded shape made by folding; "a fold in the
        napkin"; "a crease in his trousers"; "a plication on her
        blouse"; "a flexure of the colon"; "a bend of his elbow"
        [syn: {fold}, {crease}, {plication}, {flexure}, {crimp}]
     5: a town in central Oregon at the eastern foot of the Cascade
        Range
     6: diagonal line traversing a shield from the upper right
        corner to the lower left [syn: {bend dexter}]
     [also: {bent}]

bend
     v 1: form a curve; "The stick does not bend" [syn: {flex}] [ant:
          {straighten}]
     2: change direction; "The road bends"
     3: cause (a plastic object) to assume a crooked or angular
        form; "bend the rod"; "twist the dough into a braid"; "the
        strong man could turn an iron bar" [syn: {flex}, {deform},
         {twist}, {turn}] [ant: {unbend}]
     4: bend one's back forward from the waist on down; "he crouched
        down"; "She bowed before the Queen"; "The young man
        stooped to pick up the girl's purse" [syn: {crouch}, {stoop},
         {bow}]
     5: turn from a straight course , fixed direction, or line of
        interest [syn: {deflect}, {turn away}]
     6: bend a joint; "flex your wrists"; "bend your knees" [syn: {flex}]
     [also: {bent}]

bent
     adj 1: altered from an originally straight condition; "a bent wire"
     2: fixed in your purpose; "bent on going to the theater"; "dead
        set against intervening"; "out to win every event" [syn: {bent
        on(p)}, {dead set(p)}, {intent on(p)}, {out to(p)}]
     3: used of the back and knees; stooped; "on bended knee"; "with
        bent (or bended) back" [syn: {bended}]
     4: used especially of the head or upper back; "a bent head and
        sloping shoulders" [syn: {bowed}, {inclined}]
     5: of metal e.g.; "bent nails"; "a car with a crumpled front
        end"; "dented fenders" [syn: {crumpled}, {dented}]

bent
     n 1: a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular
          way; "the set of his mind was obvious" [syn: {set}]
     2: grass for pastures and lawns especially bowling and putting
        greens [syn: {bent grass}, {bent-grass}]
     3: a special way of doing something; "he had a bent for it";
        "he had a special knack for getting into trouble"; "he
        couldn't get the hang of it" [syn: {knack}, {hang}]

bent
     See {bend}