curved piece of resilient wood with taut cord to propel arrows
A weapon consisting of a curved, flexible strip of material, especially wood, strung taut from end to end and used to launch arrows.
A weapon made of a strip of wood, or other elastic material, with a cord connecting the two ends, by means of which an arrow is propelled.
There's a few definitions of the word "bow". A crossbow impliments a bow, but it isn't just a bow--it's a bow plus.
LBR no "bow" fits the above except a longbow or a recurve. You've just "defined" bows to exclude all compounds, you know that, right ?
I like discussing these things, I think its very important. Views DO change - look at how 30 years agao compounds were hated, and now they're the bulk of what archers use. Opinions change guys