bending the knee
Lowering in submission
Bending the knee is a gesture of submission, loyalty, or reverence—literally kneeling before someone in authority.
The phrase now often appears figuratively for yielding to pressure or acknowledging another's dominance: The company finally bent the knee to regulators.
In political discourse, it can carry contempt, implying cowardly capitulation: They accused him of bending the knee to special interests.
- crouchingBending low, knees bent
- obeisanceGesture of reverence
- yieldingBending under pressure
- surrenderingCeasing to resist
- laying down armsAgreeing to stop fighting
genuflecting · reverence · fealty · prostrating · submission · allegiance · supplication · humble pie · capitulating · bowing · acquiescing · homage · deferring · chivalry · stooping · subordinating · conforming · obeying
bending the kneestanding tall
Remaining proudly upright
defiance · rebellion · resistance · insubordination · disobedience
bending the kneestanding tall
Remaining proudly upright
head held high · unbowed · chin up · standing one's ground · shoulders back
bending the kneefighting back
Opposing when attacked
holding out · standing one's ground · digging in · fighting to the death · last stand
bend, bending, bends, bent, bendable, bender, knee, knees, kneed