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1the joint between the top and bottom parts of the leg where it bends in the middle a knee injury I grazed my knee when I fell. He went down on one knee and asked her to marry him. She was on her knees scrubbing the kitchen floor. Everyone was down on (their) hands and knees (= crawl on the floor) looking for the ring. My knees were knocking (= I was frightened).
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- 2the part of a piece of clothing that covers the knee These jeans are torn at the knee. a knee patch
- 3the top surface of the upper part of the legs when you are sitting down synonym lap Come and sit on Daddy's knee. Idioms
when you were very young I learned these songs at my mother's knee.
an excellent person or thing She thinks she's the bee's knees (= she has a very high opinion of herself).
to defeat someone, especially in a war
to badly affect an organization, etc. so that it can no longer function The strikes brought the industry to its knees.
if you ask for something on bended knee(s), you ask for it in a very anxious and/or humble way I'd go down on bended knee if I thought she'd change her mind.
to punish someone by making them lie on top of your knee and hitting their buttocks
hardly able to stand because of emotion, fear, illness, etc. His sudden smile made her go weak in the knees.
Check pronunciation: knee