genuflect
Americanverb (used without object)
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to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship.
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to express a servile attitude.
verb
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to act in a servile or deferential manner
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RC Church to bend one or both knees as a sign of reverence, esp when passing before the Blessed Sacrament
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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has genuflectedperfect 3rd person singular
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have genuflectedperfect
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have been genuflectingperfect progressive
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am genuflectingprogressive 1st person singular
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is genuflectingprogressive 3rd person singular
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are genuflectingprogressive
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has been genuflectingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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genuflectingparticiple
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genuflectssingular 3rd person
Past
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had genuflectedperfect
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was genuflectingprogressive singular
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had been genuflectingperfect progressive
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were genuflectingprogressive plural
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genuflectedsimple
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genuflectedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of genuflect
1620–30; < Medieval Latin genūflectere to bend the knee, equivalent to Latin genū-, stem of genu knee + flectere to bend
Explanation
If you are genuflecting, you are on your knees — either physically or in spirit. Politicians are experts at genuflecting to whatever idea or person is most popular at the time. In the old days, when you came in front of your social superiors, you were expected to genuflect: that is, bend your knee and bow submissively. You did it before kings and nobles, and everyone did it in church before God. In our more egalitarian age, genuflecting has taken on a rather insincere and servile meaning. Best not to genuflect, but simply to admire.
Vocabulary lists containing genuflect
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Genuflect, jen-ū-flekt′, v.i. to bend the knee in worship or respect.—ns.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
