kow·tow
verb/ˌkaʊˈtaʊ/
/ˌkaʊˈtaʊ/
[intransitive] (informal, disapproving)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they kowtow | /ˌkaʊˈtaʊ/ /ˌkaʊˈtaʊ/ |
| he / she / it kowtows | /ˌkaʊˈtaʊz/ /ˌkaʊˈtaʊz/ |
| past simple kowtowed | /ˌkaʊˈtaʊd/ /ˌkaʊˈtaʊd/ |
| past participle kowtowed | /ˌkaʊˈtaʊd/ /ˌkaʊˈtaʊd/ |
| -ing form kowtowing | /ˌkaʊˈtaʊɪŋ/ /ˌkaʊˈtaʊɪŋ/ |
- kowtow (to somebody/something) to show somebody in authority too much respect and be too willing to obey them
叩头；磕头；卑躬屈膝；唯命是从 - Her pride wouldn’t allow her to kowtow to anyone.
她的自尊心不允许她向任何人磕头。
Word Originearly 19th cent.: from Chinese kētóu, from kē ‘knock’ + tóu ‘head’. - Her pride wouldn’t allow her to kowtow to anyone.