bow out

Friendly

Word: Bow Out

Definition: "Bow out" is a phrasal verb that means to retire gracefully from a role, responsibility, or situation, or to remove oneself from an obligation or commitment. It often implies doing so in a polite or respectful manner.

Usage Instructions:

• When to use: Use "bow out" when someone decides to leave a position, task, or commitment, especially when they do it thoughtfully or respectfully.
• Form: It is used as a verb, and you can say "to bow out" or "bowed out" (past tense).

Examples:

1. Retiring from a position:
   • "After many years of serving as the team captain, she decided to bow out gracefully and let someone else take over."
2. Removing oneself from an obligation:
   • "He bowed out of the project when he realized it would require more time than he could give."

Advanced Usage:

• In a formal context, "bowing out" can also be used to describe leaving a competitive situation, such as a contest or election, often to allow others to succeed.
  • Example: "After much consideration, the candidate bowed out of the race to support his fellow competitor."

Word Variants:

• There are no direct variants, but you might see similar phrases such as "step down" or "withdraw."

Different Meanings:

1. Literal Meaning: In a performance context, to "bow" means to bend forward at the waist as a gesture of respect or gratitude. "Bow out" can also refer to leaving the stage after a performance.
2. Figurative Meaning: It often refers to stepping away from responsibilities or commitments.

Synonyms:

• Step down
• Withdraw
• Retire
• Resign
• Exit

Idioms and Related Phrasal Verbs:

• Step aside: This means to make room for someone else or to leave a position of authority.
• Back out: This means to withdraw from a commitment or agreement.

Summary:

"Bowing out" is about leaving a situation or responsibility respectfully and gracefully.

Academic

Verb

1. retire gracefully
   • He bowed out when he realized he could no longer handle the demands of the chairmanship
2. remove oneself from an obligation
   • He bowed out when he heard how much work was involved

Synonyms

• withdraw
• chicken out
• back off
• pull out
• back down