kneel

[ neel ]

/ nil /

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See synonyms for: kneel / kneeling / knelt on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object), knelt

[nelt] /nɛlt/ or kneeled, kneel·ing.

to go down or rest on the knees or a knee.

noun

the action or position of kneeling.

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have

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Origin of kneel

First recorded before 1000; Middle English knelen, Old English cnēowlian (cognate with Low German knelen, Dutch knielen ). See knee, -le

OTHER WORDS FROM kneel

kneel·ing·ly, adverbun·kneel·ing, adjective

Words nearby kneel

knee-high to a grasshopper, kneehole, knee jerk, knee-jerk reflex, knee joint, kneel, knee-length, kneeler, kneeling bus, kneepad, kneepan

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use kneel in a sentence

As he went to kneel, I took a shot at him and [he] jumped in the door.
Killer Eric Frein Held in Murdered Cop’s Cuffs|Michael Daly|October 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I kneel with the journalist in the sand, my face stoic and yet terrified, crying, knowing that I can do nothing but wait.
Thank Goodness We’ve Got A Plan! Let the War Begin!|Michael Carson|September 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The three who were killed had been forced to kneel in a prayer position while assassins shot each in the forehead.
Catholic Nuns Aiding Africa's Battered Wives Are Raped and Murdered|Barbie Latza Nadeau|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Or was Giantsbane onto something when he said that Snow will never kneel again?
Best ‘Game of Thrones’ Season Yet|Andrew Romano|June 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The nurse then forces him to stand up, kneel down before his father, and address him as “father” thirty times in a row.
‘Web Junkie’ Is a Harrowing Documentary on China’s Internet Addiction Rehab Clinics|Marlow Stern|January 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The men stand, and the women bring with them little carpets, which they spread before them, and on which they either kneel or sit.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
The elephant was made to kneel down, a ladder was placed against his side, and Mr. Law and myself took our places.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
Nobody notices you if you kneel down on the road to say your prayer, in spite of the fact that you are blocking the traffic.
Kari the Elephant|Dhan Gopal Mukerji
He bound the child's eyes with a white cloth, and bade him kneel beside the stone with his face to the east.
The First Christmas Tree|Henry Van Dyke
The stranger came forward reverently to kneel between the two nuns.
An Episode Under the Terror|Honore de Balzac

British Dictionary definitions for kneel

kneel

/ (niːl) /

verb kneels, kneeling, knelt or kneeled

(intr) to rest, fall, or support oneself on one's knees

noun

the act or position of kneeling

Derived forms of kneel

kneeler, noun

Word Origin for kneel

Old English cnēowlian; see knee

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

kneel

Origin of kneel

OTHER WORDS FROM kneel

Words nearby kneel

Words related to kneel

How to use kneel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for kneel

Derived forms of kneel

Word Origin for kneel