WordGarden.iokneel
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /nˈiːl/
US
- /ˈnil/
Meanings
Verb
to go down onto the knees or stay in a kneeling position
to go onto the knees in prayer, worship, or reverence
to go onto the knees as a sign of submission, respect, or pleading
Beyond the definition
To kneel is to lower your body until one or both knees touch the ground. People often do this to show respect, to pray, or to ask for something in a serious way. You can picture a knight before a king, a person at a church altar, or someone going down on one knee to propose marriage. It can also be a simple practical position, like when a gardener works close to the soil or when someone reaches for something low down. The action often suggests humility, but sometimes it is just the easiest way to do a task.
To kneel means to go down so that one or both knees rest on the ground or on another surface. It is often linked with respect, prayer, humility, or obedience. For a long time, this action has been used in formal and meaningful moments. You might think of a knight before a king, a worshipper in prayer, or someone dropping to one knee during a marriage proposal.
But the word is not only used in formal or religious settings. A gardener may kneel to work near plants, a mechanic may kneel to look under a car, and a child may kneel to tie a shoe or pick up a toy. In these cases, it simply describes a body position close to the ground.
The word can also be used in a figurative way to suggest giving in or showing submission, though that use is less literal. In stories, speeches, and history, the image often carries emotional weight because it can show both weakness and deep sincerity.
So the idea behind kneel is simple: a person lowers themselves onto their knees, sometimes for a practical reason and sometimes to show respect, devotion, or surrender. The meaning is physical first, but it often carries a deeper human feeling as well.
Examples
- 1
Reaching down
She had to kneel to reach the toys under the bed.
- 2
Comforting a child
He knelt beside the child and spoke softly.
- Grammar
knelt and kneeled are both common past forms
- 3
On a mat
Please kneel on the mat so your knees do not hurt.
- 4
Prayer
Many people kneel to pray.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Marriage proposal
He got down on one knee and asked her to marry him.
- Phraseget down on one knee
kneel before asking someone to marry you
- 6
Public protest
The players kneeled during the anthem as a protest.
See also
Forms and spellings
5 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- kneelverbnoun
Forms
- kneeling-ing formverbnoun
- kneltpast tensepast participleverbnoun
- kneelsverbnoun
- kneeledpast tenseverbnoun