Kneel

/niːl/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to support oneself on one's knees.

She had to kneel on the ground to tie her shoelaces.

to perform an act of reverence, humility, or submission by bending the knee.

The knight chose to kneel before the queen as a sign of loyalty.

to assume a position on one's knees, often for prayer or worship.

Every evening, he would kneel by his bed to say his prayers.

to become submissive or yield to someone else.

In the face of overwhelming evidence, he had no choice but to kneel to her authority.

Old English cneoðan, related to the word 'knee'.

kneel down

To lower oneself to one's knees.

kneel before

To submit or show respect to someone.

knee

The joint between the thigh and the lower leg.

kneecap

A small flat bone that forms the front of the knee.

To submit to authority or pressure.

He had to kneel to the boss's demands.

To give in or concede.

After a long argument, she finally knelt to his point of view.