genuflect, v.
(ˈdʒɛnjuːflɛkt)
[f. med.L. genūflect-ĕre, f. L. genū knee + flectĕre to bend.]
intr. To bend the knee, esp. in worship. † Also trans.
| 1630 J. Taylor (Water P.) Laugh & be fat Wks. ii. 80/1 With hands erected, with knees genuflected. 1850 J. H. Newman Diffic. Anglic. 235 A feeble old woman, who..genuflects before the Blessed Sacrament. 1884 Catholic Dict. s.v. Genuflexion, The priest repeatedly genuflects at Mass in adoration of the Eucharist, also at the mention of the Incarnation in the Creed, &c. |
| fig. 1881 A. Austin in Macm. Mag. XLIII. 406 The poet before whom Mr. Swinburne..bows and bobs and genuflects an almost countless number of times in the course of the paper on which I am commenting—to wit, M. Victor Hugo. |
Hence
ˈgenuflecting ppl. a.| 1872 O. W. Holmes Poems, Organ-blower 14 His large obeisance puts to shame The proudest genuflecting dame. |