bow down
Meaning(s)
1. submit to somebody or something, bend the top part of one's body forward as a sign of respect
Popularity
High
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
bow down to public pressure
Analysis
To 'bow' means to bend your body forward as a greeting or sign of respect or reverence. To 'bow down' to someone means to accept their authority or to submit to someone or something. Sometimes to 'bow down' to someone else can be considered a sign of weakness.
Social Examples (Advance)
- Chris is a terrible bully. It's important to never bow down to people like that.
- The government bowed down to public pressure and scrapped their proposed new law.
- The Queen's loyal subjects bowed down to her when she entered the room.
Professional Examples (Advance)
- The boss runs the business like a dictatorship. He never discusses things with his staff, instead, he just expects them all to bow down to him.
- I'm not bowing down on this. I want these conditions to be met or else the deal is off!