genuflect

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Christianity

gen·u·flect /ˈdʒenjəflekt/ verb [intransitive] formal  1. RRCto bend one or both knees when in church or a holy place as a sign of respect 屈膝；跪拜2  to show too much respect towards someone or something – used to show disapproval 卑躬屈膝〔含贬义〕 SYN kowtowgenuflect to He was a man of principle, refusing to genuflect to the party leadership. 他是一个有原则的人，不愿意对党派领导人卑躬屈膝。 —genuflection /ˌdʒenjəˈflekʃən/ noun [countable, uncountable]→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

genuflect• If anything, they are the ones genuflecting.• He raised the Host, then genuflected before it.• I genuflected before the winking sanctuary lamp and concealed myself in one of the side chapels.• Finally, he stood at one end and genuflected, glancing along the line of posts to see that it was straight.• But it was more like genuflecting in her presence.• He genuflected, slipped into a pew in the middle of the nave and knelt to pray.• The second consequence is that ambitious left-of-centre politicians no longer need to genuflect to the far left to advance their career.• At the same time, the report may genuflect toward ensuring fairness.Origin genuflect (1800-1900) Late Latin genuflectere, from Latin genu “knee” + flectere “to bend”

gen·u·flect verbChineseSyllable  

bend one Corpus knees or to both when

genuflect
gen‧u‧flect /ˈdʒenjəflekt, ˈdʒenjʊflekt/ verb [intransitive] formal1. to bend one or both knees when in church or a holy place as a sign of respect
2. to show too much respect towards someone or something – used to show disapproval
   SYN  kowtow
    genuflect to
    He was a man of principle, refusing to genuflect to the party leadership.
—genuflection /ˌdʒenjəˈflekʃən, ˌdʒenjʊˈflekʃən/ noun [uncountable and countable]

genu·flectBrE /ˈdʒenjuflekt/ 🔊NAmE /ˈdʒenjuflekt/ 🔊 verbpresent simple - I / you / we / they genuflect BrE /ˈdʒenjuflekt/ 🔊 NAmE /ˈdʒenjuflekt/ 🔊present simple - he / she / it genuflects BrE /ˈdʒenjuflekts/ 🔊 NAmE /ˈdʒenjuflekts/ 🔊past simple genuflected BrE /ˈdʒenjuflektɪd/ 🔊 NAmE /ˈdʒenjuflektɪd/ 🔊past participle genuflected BrE /ˈdʒenjuflektɪd/ 🔊 NAmE /ˈdʒenjuflektɪd/ 🔊 -ing form genuflecting BrE /ˈdʒenjuflektɪŋ/ 🔊 NAmE /ˈdʒenjuflektɪŋ/ 🔊 (formal) [intransitive] to move your body into a lower position by bending one or both knees, as a sign of respect during worship in a church （在教堂礼拜时）跪拜，单膝跪拜 [intransitive] ~ (to sb/sth) (disapproving) to show too much respect to sb/sth 卑躬屈膝▸ genu·flec·tion (BrE also genu·flex·ion) BrE /ˌdʒenjuˈflekʃn/ 🔊NAmE /ˌdʒenjuˈflekʃn/ 🔊 noun [countable, uncountable]