GENUFLECT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does genuflect mean? 

• GENUFLECT (verb)
  The verb GENUFLECT has 2 senses:

1. bend the knees and bow in church or before a religious superior or image

2. bend the knees and bow in a servile manner

  Familiarity information: GENUFLECT used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GENUFLECT (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they genuflect    ... he / she / it genuflects   
Past simple: genuflected   
Past participle: genuflected   
-ing form: genuflecting   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Bend the knees and bow in church or before a religious superior or image

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "genuflect" is one way to...):

bow (bend the head or the upper part of the body in a gesture of respect or greeting)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

genuflection; genuflexion (the act of bending the knees in worship or reverence)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Bend the knees and bow in a servile manner

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

genuflect; kowtow; scrape

Hypernyms (to "genuflect" is one way to...):

bow (bend the head or the upper part of the body in a gesture of respect or greeting)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

genuflection; genuflexion (the act of bending the knees in worship or reverence)