kowtow: Meaning and Definition of

kow•tow

Pronunciation: (kou'tou', -tou", kō'-), [key]
— v.i.
  1. to act in an obsequious manner; show servile deference.
  2. to touch the forehead to the ground while kneeling, as an act of worship, reverence, apology, etc., esp. in former Chinese custom.
—n.
  1. the act of kowtowing.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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