v. str. Obs. 1–5. Forms: Inf. 1 abúʓan; 2–3 abuȝe(n, abue(n, abouwe(n, abue(n, aboue; 3–4 abowe. Pa. t. 1 abeáʓ; 1–2 abeáh, pl. abuʓon; 2–3 abeh; 3 (trans.) abuyde; 4 (intr.) aboȝede, abowȝ. Pa. pple. 1 aboʓen. [OE. abúʓan, f. A- pref. 1 + búʓan; cogn. w. OHG. arbiugan, NHG. er-biegen, Goth. us-biugan.]
1. intr. To bend, incline, bow, stoop; fig. to do homage or reverence, to submit.
Beowulf, 1555. Þær fram sylle abeaʓ medu-benc moniʓ.
1086. O. E. Chron. (Laud. MS.). Ealle þa men on Englalande him to abugon.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 227. Þe nefer ne abeah to nane deofel ȝyld.
1250. Layamon, 4049. Þat mak[ede a]lle þe oþer mid strengþ ȝam a-bouwe.
1297. R. Glouc., 193. Þe noble steede, þat al þe world abueþ to. Ibid., 302. So þat noþer of þys kynges abouynde to oþer nere.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumbras, 2070. Wel corteysly þanne aboȝede she. Ibid., 3390. Ac Roland þanne til hym a-bowȝ.
2. trans. To cause to bend; to bend or incline (a thing); also refl. See ABEYE (? whence abuyde).
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 45. Sancte paul … abeh hin redliche to his lauerdes fet.
1297. R. Glouc., 476. An other him smot tho, That he abuyde is face adown, vort ther com mo.
c. 1430. Hymns to Virgin, 59 (1867), 97. Woldist þou god knowe … And to him meekeli þee abowe, Þan schal neuere myscheef in þee falle.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., cxxiii. 103. Yf the englysshmen had not abowed doune hir hedes … vnto the danoys they shold haue ben bete.
