Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The arm that moves the bow in playing an instrument of the violin family; a violinist's right arm. See bow-hand.
  • noun In archery, the arm employed in holding the bow, ordinarily the left arm.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • Though her bow-arm is fluent, she doesn't produce a natural, biting spiccato stroke, and she will sometimes push the vibrato on climactic notes rather than let the phrase bloom as an organic whole.

    Violinist Chee-Yun plays lovely Bach, Messiaen, Saint-Saens at Kennedy Center Post 2010

  • Her upper bow-arm ached, then cramped; then her fingering hand got a cramp along the outside edge.

    The Lark And The Wren Lackey, Mercedes 1992

  • Just -- you hit my elbow twice with your bow-arm last time.

    The Second Violin 1912

  • I find it helps my pupils to tell them not to think of the position of the bow-arm while drawing the bow across the strings, but merely to follow with the tips of the fingers of the right hand an imaginary line running at a right angle across the strings.

    Violin Mastery Talks with Master Violinists and Teachers Frederick Herman Martens 1903

  • To the former I attribute my preference for the large sweep of the bow-arm, its style and tonal superiority; to the latter, vigor of interpretation and attention to musical detail.

    Violin Mastery Talks with Master Violinists and Teachers Frederick Herman Martens 1903

  • Neroda than ever to watch Anita's slender bow-arm flashing back and forth, drawing out, with amazing force, the soul of the violin, her slender figure erect and poised high, vibrating with the strings, and her eyes darkening and lightening as the music grew deeply passionate or brilliantly gay.

    Betty at Fort Blizzard Molly Elliot Seawell 1888

  • Shigehito, was compelled to take the tonsure, and by the Emperor's orders the sinews of Tametomo's bow-arm were cut and he was banished to the Izu island.

    A History of the Japanese People From the Earliest Times to the End of the Meiji Era Dairoku Kikuchi 1886

  • It was just the position for resting the bow-arm against the tree for steadiness of aim, and feeling that he could do no better, but doubtful of his skill and quite as doubtful of the likelihood of the wooden arrow-head piercing the glistening skin of the iguana, Rob took a careful aim, as he drew his arrow to his ear in good old archer style, and let his missile fly.

    Rob Harlow's Adventures A Story of the Grand Chaco George Manville Fenn 1870

  • At the end of that time he stopped, tightened his keys, swung his bow-arm in a circle two or three times as if to distend his muscles, and then attacked the single E string.

    The Bastonnais Tale of the American Invasion of Canada in 1775-76 John Lesp��rance 1864

  • My bow skipped horribly, and because I was concentrating so hard on just controlling my bow-arm, intonation and interpretation suffered terribly.

    Violinist.com 2009

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