ohýbat

Ohýbat is a Czech verb meaning to bend or flex something, to create a curve or angle by applying force. It can refer to physical actions, such as bending a piece of metal or wood, as well as to bending in a figurative sense, such as bending rules or expectations. The verb covers both the shaping of materials and the act of bending the body or an object.

Etymology and classification: Ohýbat is of Czech origin and belongs to the family of movement and deformation verbs common in Slavic languages. It is imperfective, describing ongoing or repeated bending actions. The perfective counterpart is ohnout, which denotes bending something once or bringing it into a definite bend. There is also a reflexive use, ohýbat se, which means to bend oneself, as in bending the body or leaning over.

Usage and forms: In everyday use, ohýbat describes bending procedures in crafts and engineering (for example, heating metal to make it easier to bend, or using a tool to bend a rod) as well as natural body movements (hands and arms bending at joints). The noun forms related to the verb include ohyb (a bend or curvature) and ohýbání (the act or process of bending). The verb can appear in various tenses and moods consistent with Czech grammar.

Examples: Kov se dá ohýbat kladivem. The material can be bent with a hammer. Ruce se ohýbají v loktech. The arms bend at the elbows. Pravidla se někdy ohýbají kvůli výjimečným okolnostem. Rules are sometimes bent due to exceptional circumstances.

See also: bending, bending in engineering, ohyb, ohýbání.