verb · irregular · intransitive · rare

bend the knee

bend the knee · bends the knee · bent the knee · bending the knee

To swear fealty or allegiance to another personTo swear fealty or allegiance to another person.

» I can place the palms of my hands on the floor without bending my knees.

Ich kann meine Handflächen auf den Boden setzen, ohne meine Knie zu beugen. — MUIRIEL

Я могу коснуться ладонями пола, не сгибая коленей. — paul_lingvo

Я могу не сгибая коленей коснуться пола ладонями обеих рук. — sharptoothed

Я можу покласти долоні на підлогу, не згинаючи коліна. — zinova

CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR

Meaning

3 senses

(idiomatic)To swear fealty or allegiance to another person.
(idiomatic)To submit to or show reverence toward a divine power.
(broadly, idiomatic)To show undue deference, obedience, or support for someone or something.

Examples

14 sentences

I can place the palms of my hands on the floor without bending my knees.
Я можу покласти долоні на підлогу, не згинаючи коліна. — zinova
ruЯ могу коснуться ладонями пола, не сгибая коленей. — paul_lingvo
deIch kann meine Handflächen auf den Boden setzen, ohne meine Knie zu beugen. — MUIRIEL
CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · B1Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
Bend at your knees.
CK · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · A2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
Bend your knees.
ruПодогни колени. — odexed
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Bend your knees and look in front of you.
Зігніть ноги у колінах та дивіться перед собою. — aandrusiak
adjusting · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · A2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem
But you don't want to bend the knees too much.
Але тобі не слід згинати коліна забагато. — ChickenKiev
deSie sollten die Knie nicht zu sehr beugen. — Sprachprofi
Tatoeba contributors · Tatoeba · CC BY 2.0 FR · A2Open on Tatoeba Report a problem

Translations

2 languages

Origin

Calque of Latin genūflectō. Popularized by its use on the television series Game of Throne

Calque of Latin genūflectō. Popularized by its use on the television series Game of Thrones (2011-2019).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

bends the knee, bending the knee, bent the knee, bent the knee

Base form	bend the knee · to bend the knee
3rd person singular	bends the knee
Present participle	bending the knee
Past simple	bent the knee
Past participle	bent the knee

irregular · Lesson

Present simpleLesson

I, you, we, they	bend the knee
he, she, it	bends the knee

Past simpleLesson

all persons

bent the knee

Present perfectLesson

I, you, we, they	have bent the knee
he, she, it	has bent the knee

Future simple (will)Lesson