A bend in a river is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the river's current changes direction and forms a loop. The crossword solutions for this term are oxbow (5 letters), ESS (3 letters), plie (4 letters), ELL (3 letters), and BIGHT (5 letters). An oxbow is a U-shaped bend in a river, while an ESS is a curved section of a river. A plie is a sharp bend in a river, and an ELL is a bend in a river that is wider than an oxbow. Finally, a BIGHT is a large bay or bend in a river.