genuflect

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“
I don't know what she wants me to do: Salute, genuflect, or start the wave.

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Definitions (6)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. intransitive verb To bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor or ground, as in worship.
  2. intransitive verb To be servilely respectful or deferential; grovel.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (1)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (2)

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Examples (50)

  • "I'm surprised he didn't genuflect," Colin drawled out. —  Garwood, Julie - Castles
  • She paused, feeling the need to mark the occasion—to touch holy water, genuflect, make an offering. —  Asimov's SF, September 2006
  • Still, now the Oasis can go to Abu Dhabi, genuflect, ululate, slobber all over the Sultan and ask him to offer maybe 250M quid for pretty Ronnie. —  CaughtOffside.com
  • Perhaps a curtsy or a genuflect would be more appropriate? —  Neptunus Lex
  • I don't know what she wants me to do: Salute, genuflect, or start the wave. —  The Big Picture
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This word has been looked up 119 times.

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Late Latin genūflectere : Latin genū, knee; see genu-1 in Indo-European roots + Latin flectere, to bend.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from Late Latin genuflectere, properly two words, genu flectere, bend the knee: L. genu, accusative of genu = English knee; flectere, bend: see flex. Cf. genuflection.
 

Pronunciations
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/dʒɛnjuˈflɛkt/
by American Heritage

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