obeisance
/ə(ʊ)ˈbeɪs(ə)ns
/noun [mass noun]
1Deferential respect: they paid obeisance to the Prince...
- Temple bells chimed as men in flowing kurtas and multicoloured turbans and bejewelled women in vivid pinks and purples paid obeisance to their guru, Baba Gulabgir.
- The more timid paid obeisance to the policies of the founders, but they also snippily noted that ‘their views were necessarily limited.’
- Infact Shiva's devotee, Sudheet approached Uma to pay his respectful obeisance.
Synonyms
respect, homage, worship, adoration, reverence, veneration, respectfulness, honour, submission, deference
1.1 [count noun] A gesture expressing deferential respect, such as a bow or curtsy: she made a deep obeisance...
- The slaves collapsed into reverential obeisances as the angelic flight passed overhead.
- Many stories have come down to us of her cruelty: for example, that she had two serfs sent to Siberia for having failed to make their obeisances to her as she passed - because they did not see her.
- I offer repeated obeisances unto Lord Krishna, who is the protector and well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas.
Synonyms
bow, curtsy, bob, genuflection, salaam, salutation;
Indian namaskar
Chinese, historical kowtow
archaic reverence
Derivatives
obeisant
- He says: ‘How can an agency, so obeisant to every passing whim of political correctness and comprised of enterprise officers teach entrepreneurialism?’
- But the paper is unquestionably less obeisant to the extremist forces ensconced in the government and dominating much of the media than just about any other major journalistic institution we have left.
- Your right to travel through cyberspace without a snoop noting your every move is one of the next hoops the president will wave before an obeisant Congress.
Origin
Late Middle English (in the sense 'obedience'): from Old French obeissance, from obeissant 'obeying', present participle of obeir.