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In the past I have defended the right of the IRA to engage in armed struggle. I did so because there was no alternative for those who would not bend the knee, or turn a blind eye to oppression, or for those who wanted a national republic.
Gerry Adams

Meaning of "bend the knee" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
section

PRONUNCIATION OF BEND THE KNEE

bend the knee play
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WHAT DOES BEND THE KNEE MEAN IN ENGLISH?

bend the knee

Genuflection

Genuflection, bending at least one knee to the ground, was from early times a gesture of deep respect for a superior. In 328 BC, Alexander the Great introduced into his court-etiquette some form of genuflection already in use in Persia. In the Byzantine Empire even senators were required to genuflect to the emperor. In medieval Europe, one demonstrated respect for a king or noble by going down on one knee, often remaining there until told to rise. It is traditionally often performed in western cultures by a male making a proposal of marriage. More recently, the gesture is largely restricted to Catholic religious practices. The Latin word genuflectio, from which the English word is derived, originally meant kneeling rather than the rapid dropping to one knee and immediately rising that became customary in Western Europe in the Middle Ages.

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE BEND THE KNEE

bend
bend over backwards
bend sinister
bend someone´s ear
bend the rules
Benda
bendable
benday
bended
bendee
bender
bendier
bendiest
Bendigo
bending moment
bendingly
bendlet
bends
bendwise
bendy

WORDS THAT END LIKE BEND THE KNEE

assignee
Chinee
designee
detainee
examinee
housemaid´s knee
internee
knee
knock-knee
kokanee
lienee
management trainee
nee
nominee
overknee
Pawnee
Shawnee
Suwannee
thick-knee
trainee

Synonyms and antonyms of bend the knee in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «bend the knee» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF BEND THE KNEE

Find out the translation of bend the knee to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of bend the knee from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «bend the knee» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

屈膝
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

doblar la rodilla
570 millions of speakers

English

bend the knee
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

घुटने मोड़
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

ثني الركبة
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

преклонить колени
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

dobrar o joelho
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

হাঁটু মোড়ানো
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

plier le genou
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Bengkok lutut
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

das Knie beugen
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

膝を曲げる
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

무릎 을 구부리
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Nyuwek dhengkul
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

uốn cong đầu gối
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

முழங்கால் குனிய
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

गुडघा झुकणे
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

Dizini bükmek
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

piegare il ginocchio
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

zginać kolana
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

схилити коліна
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

indoi genunchiul
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

λυγίστε το γόνατο
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

buig die knie
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

böja knäet
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

bøye kne
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of bend the knee

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «BEND THE KNEE»

The term «bend the knee» is quite widely used and occupies the 41.484 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Quite widely used
81
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «bend the knee» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of bend the knee
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «bend the knee».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «BEND THE KNEE» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «bend the knee» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «bend the knee» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about bend the knee

EXAMPLES

QUOTES WITH «BEND THE KNEE»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word bend the knee.
1
Gerry Adams
In the past I have defended the right of the IRA to engage in armed struggle. I did so because there was no alternative for those who would not bend the knee, or turn a blind eye to oppression, or for those who wanted a national republic.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «BEND THE KNEE»

Discover the use of bend the knee in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to bend the knee and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Cowards bend the knee
This book features the screenplay for his latest film, Cowards Bend the Knee, stills from films including Tales from the Gimli Hospital and Twilight of the Ice Nymphs, a revealing interview by Robert Enright and an introduction by curator ...
Guy Maddin, Robert Enright, Philip Monk, 2003
2
Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1-2 Samuel
'I preserved for myself seven thousand men who did not bend the knee to Baal,' " then the apostle adds '"thus, in this time also a remnant chosen by grace is saved .'"13 You can see, therefore, that those who "bent the knee to Baal" and those ...
John R. Franke, Thomas C. Oden, 2005
3
Resistance Training Exercises
Torso erect. Look forward. Bend the knee, as much as you can. Extend the knee, go up, and lift the free leg (abduct) to the side, to horizontal plane. Or do an outward rotation. Repeat. For intermediate exercisers. For strength and balance.
Marina Aagaard, 2010
4
The Farmer's Monthly Visitor
"l'is labor nerves the man to fight In freedom's glorious cause; And freedom is the Farmer's right By his Creator's laws: This right we'll keep or in death sleep, We'll never bend the knee To mortal king, butjoyful sing We're Farmers and we're free  ...
Isaac Hill, 1839
5
The Farmer's Monthly Visitor
Tis true we labor for our bread, And so did Adam too ; A little toil we'll never dread While we're so well to do: Then raise the song throughout the throne, We'll never bend the knee, To mortal king or corporate thine, We're Farmers and we're ...
6
Pilates for Hip and Knee Syndromes and Arthroplasties
Bend the knee as tolerated toward the chest (b), and keep this leg position as you start to extend from the hip. Bring the leg to the back wall, leading the foot to the buttocks (c-d). Straighten the leg toward the back wall (e), bring the straight leg ...
Beth Kaplanek, Brett Levine, William Jaffe
7
Grammar of vocal music, founded on the Method of Wilhem. ...
T~y XX leave — Pray: ere yet the dark hours be, Lift the heart and bend the knee! dwell; Sai - lor, on the dark'ning sea — Lift the heart and bend the knee! tie, HeavVs first star a - like ye see — Lift the heart and bend the knee ...
John Pyke Hullah, Guillaume Louis Bocquillon-Wilhem, 1843
8
The Journey to Pain Relief: A Hands-On Guide to ...
Also use the elastic band to resist the opposite movement as you bend the knee. Repeat ten times. ◇ Sitting on the edge of the bed, lift the foot from the floor and swing the lower leg from side to side like a pendulum. Next, rotate the lower leg ...
Phyllis Berger, 2007
9
Prevention and Treatment of Sports Injuries
Mobilizing exercises to bend the knee (i) Standing on your good leg, rest your injured knee on a chair as though you were kneeling on it. Gently rock your seat back to your heel, to bend your knee. (ii) Lying on your back, bend your injured ...
Rajeev Kumar, 2011
10
Harpers Ferry
Why do you not bend the knee when you utter such an earnest prayer? JOHN BROWN. I cannot bend the knee. I must pray standing. It is true that I am God's servant; it is equally true that I am God's partner. God did not say to me, "Gather your ...
Barrie Stavis, 1960

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «BEND THE KNEE»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term bend the knee is used in the context of the following news items.
1
Man of the people: Sunday World's Jim McDowell steps down
I would never bend the knee but I also realise that my family must always come first and so we decided to move out for a fortnight, but we came ... «Belfast Telegraph, Jul 15»
2
When the Night Erupts in Brilliance
Crazy people in tall offices who think women should bend the knee because Jesus, or something, are the worst people in the country, and must ... «Truth-Out, Jul 15»
3
Euro elites want Greece regime shift
It's now clear that Germany and Europe's powers that be don't just want the Greek government to bend the knee. They want a regime change. «Mail & Guardian Online, Jul 15»
4
Knee Torments Michael Cuddyer, and Cubs Torment Mets
Afterward, as he was being examined in the trainer's room, he looked as if he could not bend the knee. Cuddyer stood outside the Mets' ... «New York Times, Jul 15»
5
Syriza can't just cave in. Europe's elites want regime change in Greece
It's now clear that Germany and Europe's powers that be don't just want the Greek government to bend the knee. They want regime change. «The Guardian, Jul 15»
6
The Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage Isn't an Excuse to Attack …
Because theologically traditional Protestant and Catholic churches and Jewish synagogues will not bend the knee to the prevailing cultural ... «TIME, Jul 15»
7
How I shamed the ballet world over 'discriminating' against disabled …
She is unable to fully bend the knee, she has no mobility in the ankle and cannot put her weight on that leg. Therefore she is unable to fully ... «Telegraph.co.uk, Jun 15»
8
​Same-sex marriage: A matter of dignity
"There is no question: it is by the thousands and tens of thousands and the hundreds of thousands that will not bend the knee and we will not ... «CBS News, Jun 15»
9
We gotta move!
He told me three months of rehabilitation would be challenging, but I would be able to straighten and bend the knee normally. He was right and ... «High Plains Journal, Jun 15»
10
Fredericksburg massage therapist can help ease cancer patients …
“If it builds up, it blocks the movement and it's harder to bend the knee,” she said. “By working on it and keeping the scar tissue smooth, when ... «Fredericksburg.com, Jun 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Bend the knee [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/bend-the-knee>. Apr 2024 ».
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