Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense kneels, present participle kneeling, past tense, past participle kneeled, past tense, past participle kneltlanguage note: The forms kneeled and knelt can both be used for the past tense and past participle.
verb
When you kneel, you bend your legs so that your knees are touching the ground.
She knelt by the bed and prayed. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Other people were kneeling, but she just sat. [VERB]
...a kneeling position. [VERB-ing]
Synonyms: genuflect, bow, stoop, curtsy or curtsey More Synonyms of kneel
Kneel down means the same as kneel.
She kneeled down beside him. [VERBPARTICLE]
kneel in British English
(niːl)
verbWord forms: kneels, kneeling, knelt or kneeled
1. (intransitive)
to rest, fall, or support oneself on one's knees
noun
2.
the act or position of kneeling
Derived forms
kneeler (ˈkneeler)
noun
Word origin
Old English cnēowlian; see knee
kneel in American English
(nil)
verb intransitiveWord forms: knelt or kneeled, ˈkneeling
to bend or rest on a knee or the knees
Word origin
ME knelen < OE cneowlian < cneow, knee
Examples of 'kneel' in a sentence
kneel
Would you see her kneeling on the floor to beg for mercy?
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss THE WOLF AND THE DOVE
She would kneel by my bed and put her arm around me.
Christianity Today (2000)
One knelt and dug while two others kept lookout.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We would kneel in front and pray to the posts.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We will not be forced to kneel in front of the braying mob.
The Sun (2011)
Learning to cast from a kneeling position is an essential skill for high summer.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The first scene was of an unknown man kneeling on the ground in front of three masked men.
The Sun (2007)
They would kneel on the floor to clean bed wheels and climb on chairs to reach curtain rails.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He sang one track kneeling on a packed table, below.
The Sun (2011)
Little things like that mean so much - just kneeling on the ground to play.
The Sun (2014)
I found him kneeling on the bed.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
I could see one police officer kneeling on the ground.
The Sun (2012)
The smith knelt to position a ring around each of their calves, an inch or two above the ankle.
Philip Marsden The Barefoot Emperor: An Ethiopian Tragedy (2007)
At one point he knelt on the wire and punched his fist in the air; he ran for the last few steps.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Light leggings, which do not make it difficult to bend or kneel, and good quality trousers are a must for comfort in the cold.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
kneel
British English: kneel /niːl/ VERB
When you kneel, you bend your legs so that your knees are touching the ground.
She knelt by the bed and prayed.
American English: kneel
Arabic: يَرْكَعُ
Brazilian Portuguese: ajoelhar-se
Chinese: 跪
Croatian: klečati
Czech: klečet
Danish: knæle
Dutch: knielen
European Spanish: arrodillarse
Finnish: polvistua
French: s’agenouiller
German: knien
Greek: γονατίζω
Italian: inginocchiarsi
Japanese: ひざを曲げる
Korean: 무릎을 꿇다
Norwegian: knele
Polish: klęknąć
European Portuguese: ajoelhar-se
Romanian: a îngenunchea
Russian: становиться на колени
Latin American Spanish: arrodillarse
Swedish: stå på knä
Thai: คุกเข่า
Turkish: diz çökmek
Ukrainian: ставати на коліна
Vietnamese: quỳ
Chinese translation of 'kneel'
kneel
(niːl)
Word forms:ptppknelt
vi
(also kneel down) 跪下 (guìxià)
to be kneeling跪着(著) (guìzhe)
(verb)
Definition
to rest, fall, or support oneself on one's knees
She knelt by the bed and prayed.
Synonyms
genuflect
bow
He bowed slightly before taking her bag.
stoop
He stooped to pick up the carrier bag of groceries.
curtsy or curtsey
bow down
kowtow
get down on your knees
make obeisance
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bow
Definition
to lower (one's head) or bend (one's knee or body) as a sign of respect, greeting, agreement, or shame
He bowed slightly before taking her bag.
Synonyms
bend,
bob,
nod,
incline,
stoop,
droop,
genuflect,
make obeisance
in the sense of kowtow
Definition
to touch the forehead to the ground in deference
Synonyms
bow,
kneel,
genuflect
in the sense of stoop
Definition
to bend (the body) forward and downward
He stooped to pick up the carrier bag of groceries.