- genuflect
- genuflect 1620s, back formation from GENUFLECTION (Cf. genuflection). Related: Genuflected; genuflecting.
Etymology dictionary. 2014.
genuflect
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Genuflect — Gen u*flect , v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Genuflected}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Genuflecting}.] [See {Genuflection}.] To bend the knee, as in worship. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
genuflect — ► VERB ▪ lower one s body briefly by bending one knee to the ground in worship or as a sign of respect. DERIVATIVES genuflection noun. ORIGIN Latin genuflectere, from genu knee + flectere to bend … English terms dictionary
genuflect — [jen′yə flekt΄] vi. [ML(Ec) genuflectere < L genu, KNEE + flectere, to bend: see FLEX1] 1. to bend the knee, as in reverence or worship 2. to act in a submissive or servile way genuflection n … English World dictionary
genuflect — gen|u|flect [ˈdʒenjuflekt] v [i]formal [Date: 1800 1900; : Late Latin; Origin: genuflectere, from Latin genu knee + flectere to bend ] 1.) to bend one or both knees when in church or a holy place as a sign of respect 2.) to show too much respect… … Dictionary of contemporary English
genuflect — UK [ˈdʒenjʊːˌflekt] / US [ˈdʒenjəˌflekt] verb [intransitive] Word forms genuflect : present tense I/you/we/they genuflect he/she/it genuflects present participle genuflecting past tense genuflected past participle genuflected formal 1) to bend… … English dictionary
genuflect — [[t]ʤe̱njʊflekt[/t]] genuflects, genuflecting, genuflected 1) VERB If you genuflect, you bend one or both knees and bow, especially in church, as a sign of respect. [FORMAL] He genuflected in front of the altar. 2) VERB (disapproval) You can say… … English dictionary
genuflect — intransitive verb Etymology: Late Latin genuflectere, from Latin genu knee + flectere to bend more at knee Date: 1630 1. a. to bend the knee b. to touch the knee to the floor or ground especially in worship 2. to be servilely obedient or… … New Collegiate Dictionary
genuflect — genuflector, n. /jen yoo flekt /, v.i. 1. to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship. 2. to express a servile attitude. [1620 30; < ML genuflectere to bend the knee, equiv. to L genu , s. of genu KNEE + flectere to… … Universalium
genuflect — verb /ˈdʒɛn.jʊ.flɛkt/ a) To bend the knee, as in servitude or worship b) To behave in a servile manner; to grovel. See Also: genuflection, genuflector … Wiktionary
genuflect — Synonyms and related words: bend, bend the knee, bend the neck, bend to, bob, bob a curtsy, bob down, bow, bow and scrape, bow down, bow the head, bow to, cringe to, crouch, crouch before, curtsy, do homage, do obeisance, duck, fall down before,… … Moby Thesaurus
