expression, ichidan verb
bow one's head; hang one's head
Literary or formal expression for lowering one's head, often in shame, respect, or defeat. The reading こうべ is somewhat archaic and poetic.
彼は恥ずかしさのあまり、深く頭を垂れた。
Overcome with shame, he bowed his head deeply.
敗者
All the losers left the venue with their heads hung low.
expression, ichidan verb
Used poetically for grain ears bending under their own weight, suggesting a rich harvest. This is a figurative extension of the head-bowing sense.
黄金色の稲穂が頭を垂れる季節になった。
It is the season when the golden ears of rice droop.