genuflecting
Knee touching ground
Genuflecting is bending the knee to the ground as a gesture of reverence or submission.
The practice is associated especially with Catholic worship, where one genuflects toward the altar or tabernacle: She genuflected before entering the pew.
Figuratively, genuflecting suggests excessive deference: politicians genuflecting to wealthy donors.
Lowering onto bent legs
- altarSacred ritual table
- pewWorship hall seating
- chapelSmall worship room
- churchPlace of Christian worship
cathedral · mass · liturgy · tabernacle · sanctuary · priest · sacrament · devotion
Religious reverence and praise
- adorationProfound loving regard
- venerationProfound admiring respect
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- homageExpression of deep respect
obeisance · bowing · prostration · praise · glorification · honor · tribute · sanctity
Regard with honor
- submissionYielding to another's will
- obeisanceGesture of reverence
- bowingBending forward in deference
- kowtowExcessive deference shown physically
curtsy · salute · acknowledgment · courtesy · honor · esteem · tribute · homage
Urgent heartfelt request
- beseechingUrgently pleading for something
- imploringUrgently requesting with emotion
- entreatyEarnest, urgent request
- petitionFormal written appeal
begging · humbling · prostration · submission · prayer · appeal · request · mercy
kneeling
Lowering onto bent legs
church · cathedral · mass · liturgy · tabernacle · sanctuary · priest · sacrament · devotion · piety
worship
Religious reverence and praise
- adorationProfound loving regard
- venerationProfound admiring respect
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
homage · obeisance · bowing · prostration · praise · glorification · honor · tribute · sanctity · holiness
respect
Regard with honor
- submissionYielding to another's will
- obeisanceGesture of reverence
- bowingBending forward in deference
kowtow · curtsy · salute · acknowledgment · courtesy · honor · esteem · tribute · homage · subservience
pleading
Urgent heartfelt request
- beseechingUrgently pleading for something
- imploringUrgently requesting with emotion
- entreatyEarnest, urgent request
petition · begging · humbling · prostration · submission · prayer · appeal · request · mercy · forgiveness
- surrendersurrender, surrenders, surrendering, I surrender, capitulate
- worship actspraying, kneeling, prostration, bowing, obeisance
- deferencedeference, bow, curtsy, kneeling, obeisance
- submissionsubmission hold, submitting, surrendering, capitulation, yielding
- submission gestureskowtow, prostration, obeisance, bowing, kneeling
- deformingbending, twisting, warping, curving, folding
genuflectingstanding tall
Remaining proudly upright
standing upright · rising · towering · rearing up · standing at attention
genuflectingdefying
Actively refusing obedience
rebelling · resisting · standing one's ground · lording over · dominating