kneel

American  

[neel] / nil /

verb (used without object)

knelt, kneeled, kneeling

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

---

noun

1. the action or position of kneeling.

kneel British  

/ niːl /

verb

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

---

noun

1. the act or position of kneeling

Other Word Forms

• kneeler noun
• kneelingly adverb
• unkneeling adjective

Etymology

Origin of kneel

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

Example Sentences

I kneel onto the soft earth and start tossing aside the larger pieces of garbage —a very sad looking Pierre the Pineapple, for one.

From Literature

He knelt and put his wife’s sock and shoe on her left foot.

From Literature

She had knelt down on the floor, picking up all the necklaces and earrings that he had scattered about.

From Literature

Mom put her hand on his shoulder and knelt down so she could look right into Bat’s eyes.

From Literature

After a moment he knelt and opened a wooden drawer at the bottom of the cabinet.

From Literature

Related Words

• bow