kowtow
/ˌkaʊˈtaʊ/
noun
- An act of kneeling and touching the forehead to the ground as a sign of respect or submission.
- His kowtow was seen as a gesture of complete loyalty.
- The custom of the kowtow was abolished after the revolution.
- The envoy performed a deep kowtow before the throne.
verb
- To act in an extremely submissive or obedient way toward someone in authority, often to gain favor.
- The manager expects everyone to kowtow to her every demand.
- He refused to kowtow to the wealthy investors just to get a deal.
- Some politicians kowtow to powerful lobbyists instead of listening to voters.
- To kneel and touch the ground with the forehead as a sign of deep respect or submission, especially in traditional Chinese custom.
- In ancient China, visitors were required to kowtow before the emperor.
- Tourists watched a reenactment of servants kowtowing to the empress.
- The ambassador chose not to kowtow during the ceremony, causing a diplomatic incident.