1 knee
Pronounced:
/ˈni:/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural kneesMeaning:
[count] 1 : the joint that bends at the middle of your leg ▪ I fell down and hurt my knee. ▪ She suffered a serious knee injury. ▪ His knees trembled/shook with fear. ▪ She dropped/fell/sank to her knees [=she knelt down] and begged for forgiveness. = She got down on her knees and begged for forgiveness. ▪ He got/went down on one knee and proposed to her. ▪ If you want to clean the floor properly, you have to get down on your (hands and) knees [=you have to kneel down on the floor] and start scrubbing. —see picture at human
2 : the upper part of your leg when you are sitting ▪ His little granddaughter sat on his knee.
3 : the part that covers the knee on a pair of pants ▪ Her jeans had holes at the knees.
4 : a forceful hit with a bent knee ▪ She gave him a knee to the stomach. [=she kneed him in the stomach]
2 : the upper part of your leg when you are sitting ▪ His little granddaughter sat on his knee.
3 : the part that covers the knee on a pair of pants ▪ Her jeans had holes at the knees.
4 : a forceful hit with a bent knee ▪ She gave him a knee to the stomach. [=she kneed him in the stomach]
bring (someone) to his/her knees
: to completely defeat or overwhelm (someone) ▪ The general vowed he would bring the enemy to their knees. —often used figuratively ▪ The increase in oil prices could bring the economy to its knees. [=it could greatly hurt the economy]
learn (something) at your mother's knee
: to learn (something) when you are very young ▪ I learned to speak French at my mother's knee.
on bended knee/knees —see 1bend
weak at/in the knees —see weak
—see also bee's knees