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kowtow

noun

1 kowtow

A former Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission.

synonym: kotow.

Roget 308: lowering etc. v.; depression; dip etc. (concavity) 252; abasement; detrusion; reduction.    overthrow, overset, overturn; ... show more

Roget 725: submission, yielding; nonresistance; obedience etc. 743.    surrender, cession, capitulation, resignation; backdown.    obeisance, homage, kneeling, ... show more

Roget 894: courtesy; respect etc. 928; good manners, good behavior, good breeding; manners; politeness etc. adj.; bienseance, urbanity, ... show more

Roget 928: respect, regard, consideration; courtesy etc. 894; attention, deference, reverence, honor, esteem, estimation, veneration, ... show more

verb

1 kowtow

Bend the knees and bow in a servile manner.

synonyms: genuflect, scrape.

Roget 725: succumb, submit, yeild, bend, resign, defer to.    lay down one's arms, deliver up one's arms; lower colors, haul down colors, strike one's flag, strike colors.    surrender, surrender at discretion; ... show more

Dutch: buigen, zich, knielen, een voetval maken, kruipen voor

2 kowtow

Try to gain favor by cringing or flattering:
— He is always kowtowing to his boss.

synonyms: bootlick, fawn, kotow, suck up, toady, truckle.

Dutch: lijmen


Moby thesaurus: apple-polish, bend, bend the knee, bend the neck, bend to, bending the knee, bob, bob a curtsy, bob down, bootlick, bow, bow and scrape, bow down, bow the head, bow to, bowing and scraping, brown-nose, butter up, cower, crawl ... show more.

Find more on kowtow elsewhere: etymology - rhymes - Wikipedia.

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