Crossword clues for kowtow
kowtow
- End of bout? Expression of wonder about end of bout - it sees one kissing the dust
- Old Chinese gesture of deference
- Kneel in submission
- Be servile (towards)
- Suck up
- Show deference
- Act like a toady
- Show servility
- Obsequious gesture
- Display deference
- Bow obsequiously
- Act deferentially
- Show complaisance
- Bow in a servile manner
- Defer (to)
- Servilely defer (to)
- Bow (to)
- Constantly defer (to)
- Bow and scrape
- Be obsequious (to)
- Truckle
- Show deep respect (to)
- Submit
- *Act deferentially
- A former Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission
- Act obsequiously
- Be servile (to)
- Fawningly defer (to)
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Kowtow \Kow*tow"\, n. [Chinese, knock head.]
The prostration made by mandarins and others to their
superiors, either as homage or worship, by knocking the
forehead on the ground; same as Kotow. There are degrees in
the rite, the highest being expressed by three knockings.
[China] [Also spelled kowtow.]
--S. W. Williams.
Kotow \Ko*tow"\, n. [Chinese, knock head.]
The prostration made by mandarins and others to their
superiors, either as homage or worship, by knocking the
forehead on the ground; a kowtow. There are degrees in the
rite, the highest being expressed by three knockings. [China]
[Also spelled kowtow.]
--S. W. Williams.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
also kow-tow, 1804, from Chinese k'o-t'ou custom of touching the ground with the forehead to show respect or submission, literally "knock the head," from k'o "knock, bump" + t'ou "head." The verb in the figurative sense of "act in an obsequious manner" is from 1826. Related: Kowtowed; kowtowing.
Wiktionary
n. The act of kowtowing. vb. 1 (context intransitive English) To kneel and bow low enough to touch one’s forehead to the ground. 2 (context intransitive English) To bow very deeply. 3 (context intransitive figuratively English) To act in a very submissive manner.
WordNet
n. a former Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission [syn: kotow]
v. bend the knees and bow in a servile manner [syn: scrape, genuflect]
try to gain favor by cringing or flattering; "He is always kowtowing to his boss" [syn: fawn, toady, truckle, bootlick, kotow, suck up]
Wikipedia
Kowtow, which is borrowed from kau tau in Cantonese (koutou in Mandarin Chinese), is the act of deep respect shown by prostration, that is, kneeling and bowing so low as to have one's head touching the ground. An alternative Chinese term is ketou; however, the meaning is somewhat altered: kou (叩) has the general meaning of knock, whereas ke (磕) has the general meaning of "touch upon (a surface)", tou (頭) meaning head.
In East Asian culture, the kowtow is the highest sign of reverence. It was widely used to show reverence for one's elders, superiors, and especially the Emperor, as well as for religious and cultural objects of worship. In modern times, usage of the kowtow has become reduced.
Usage examples of "kowtow".
That would certainly have made Raiko kowtow for a year or more and guaranteed he would have the service he wanted when he wanted--we might have had to run off too.
Whenever a gardener saw them, the man would kowtow until they were out of sight.
Lord Macartney refused to perform their ritual of obeisance before the Emperor, the kowtow, and they took offense.
Here they exchanged the most tremendous civilities, until Miss Bella swept into the room, when there was more kowtow on all sides, and a smiling show of teeth that was like an illumination.
I might also remind you, silly snob that you are, that she is not only accepted by those ridiculous nitwits in so-called high society, whom you have the desire to kowtow to constantly, but is assiduously courted by them.
Her mother refused to kowtow to the vegetarianism Ruth had taken up after my death.
We knelt and performed the three obeisances and nine kowtows, and he signaled for us to rise.
They ushered him into the audience chamber, and after the three obeisances and nine kowtows he was allowed to rise and approach the throne.
We performed the three obeisances and the nine kowtows, and then we got to our feet.
Five Miniature Mystic Dragons, then he kowtowed to the Leader and Madame Hong.
When Trinket thought he had mastered them, he dropped to his knees and kowtowed, knocking his head altogether eight times on the floor.
As soon as they were inside, Zhang took out the Secret Edict and Trinket kowtowed and received it in both hands.
I was in the back row at court waiting to give my first imperial performance, and this wicked old man kowtowed to the emperor, got to his feet, whipped a knife from his sleeve, and cut the throat of the Minister of Trade.
He kowtowed to the little red cloth figures and then turned to join the others.
Kwan-yin kowtowed before her royal father, kneeling and touching her forehead on the floor in sign of deepest reverence.