Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb Present participle of kowtow.
  • noun The act of one who kowtows; a submissive bow.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Mr. Roh had accused his predecessors of what he called "kowtowing" to Washington and championed a diplomacy less dependent on South Korea's traditional ally.

    NYT > Home Page By CHOE SANG-HUN 2011

  • But everything is being put at risk by once again kowtowing to the gods of financial orthodoxy.

    History will see these cuts as one of the great acts of political folly Will Hutton 2010

  • Speaking at the Aiport Operators Association conference in London on Friday, Broughton blasted this country for "completely redundant" security measures and said the Brits ought to stop "kowtowing" to requests for things such as the removal of passengers 'shoes, the Financial Times reported.

    Who gets the first subpoena in a Republican-controlled House? Al Kamen 2010

  • Britain should stop "kowtowing" to US demands over airport security, the chairman of British Airways, Martin Broughton, has said, adding that American airports did not implement some checks on their own internal flights.

    UK should not put up with US airport security ? BA chairman James Meikle 2010

  • Speaking at the Aiport Operators Association conference in London on Friday, Broughton blasted this country for "completely redundant" security measures and said the Brits ought to stop "kowtowing" to requests for things such as the removal of passengers 'shoes, the Financial Times reported.

    Who gets the first subpoena in a Republican-controlled House? Al Kamen 2010

  • If this were the first anniversary of the peace agreement, this kind of kowtowing and gentle urging might be somewhat understandable.

    John Prendergast: Clinton, Gration Recognize Sudan's CPA Anniversary 2010

  • He will do whatever it takes for power, such as kowtowing to Bush even after the dirty tricks Bush and Rove pulled on him.

    McCain "Bitch" Video Sparks War Between McCain Campaign And CNN 2009

  • Like unemployed auto-workers, they need to learn new skills, such as kowtowing to buyout groups, leveraged lending and structured finance.

    Year of (Restructure) Rats 2007

  • "I hope we don't see that kind of kowtowing at the Republican convention to the Muslim community," the conservative spokesman says.

    08/04/2004 2004

  • Haas saw irony in the statewide GOP candidates '"kowtowing" to the Tea Party members, because in Ohio "they were a nonfactor" in the primary.

    The Columbus Dispatch Feed By Joe Hallett 2010

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