kowtow English · revision 1672

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈkaʊˌtaʊ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is borrowed from Chinese (Mandarin) ''kòutóu'',^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) older ''k'o-t'ou'',^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) literally “knock the head”,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) from ''kòu'' “to knock” and ''tóu'' “head”.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The former Chinese custom of kneeling and touching the ground with the forehead to show respect or submission (1804, as ''koo-too'').^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb appeared in 1826 in the figurative sense of acting obsequiously,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) and only later (1848) in the literal sense of performing the kowtow.^(Etymonline) The noun, too, came to mean any act of slavish submission (1834).^(Barnhart 1995)^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1795–1805 – Random House's dating.^(RHWU)

+ * 1804 – the Chinese custom.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1826 – verb, to act obsequiously.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1834 – an act of slavish submission.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1848 – verb, to perform the kowtow.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To show servile [[deference]]; to [[fawn]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To kneel and touch the forehead to the ground as a sign of deep respect, worship or submission, as formerly done in China.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act of kneeling and touching the forehead to the ground.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An [[obsequious]] act.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[kowtower]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[grovel]]

+ * [[fawn]]

+ * [[toady]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}