kneel
To go down so your body is on your knees instead of standing or sitting.
To bend your legs and lower your body so that you are resting on your knees, often for comfort, respect, or prayer.
To give in to a person or group and accept what they want, as if you kneel in front of them.
To accept the power, control, or demands of someone or something, often unwillingly, as if bowing or kneeling before them.
- Base: kneel
- 3rd Person Singular: kneels
- Present Participle: kneeling
- Past: kneeled, knelt
- Past Participle: knelt
- Irregular past participle: knelt Verb
get down on one knee
1kneel on one knee, often to propose
To go into a position where one knee is on the ground and the other is up, often when asking someone to marry you.
- He got down on one knee and asked her to marry him.
- She laughed when he got down on one knee in the supermarket.
- In many films, the hero gets down on one knee during the proposal scene.
kneel before
1kneel in front of someone/something
To be on your knees in front of a person or thing, often to show respect, love, or power difference.
- The knight knelt before the queen to receive his title.
- They knelt before the memorial in silence.
- She refused to kneel before anyone who treated her unfairly.
kneel down
1to move into a kneeling position
To move your body so that you are on your knees instead of standing or sitting.
- The teacher asked the children to kneel down in a circle.
- He knelt down to tie his shoelaces.
- Please kneel down if you need help with your backpack.
on bended knee
1Kneeling to show respect or ask
Kneeling down to show respect or to ask for something important.
- He proposed to her on bended knee.
- The knight pledged loyalty on bended knee.
on bended knee
2kneeling while asking for something
Kneeling, usually to ask for something important like forgiveness or marriage.
- He went to her on bended knee and asked for forgiveness.
- Traditionally, the proposal is made on bended knee.
- The image of a singer on bended knee has become a cliché in music videos.