beg on bended knee
To beg or plead for something submissively and with dramatic earnestness. Refers to kneeling before someone from whom one must beg for mercy or favor. After five years, I'm ready to beg on bended knee for a promotion. We have to remain strong in the eyes of the world. We cannot beg on bended knee for help from our allies. You can beg on bended knee for a donation all you want—that old miser will still slam the door in your face.
come (to one) on bended knee
To approach or make contact with one in order to beg or plead for something. Do what you like, but don't come on bended knee looking for help when things go wrong. We shall not come to any ally on bended knee for aid. We have to remain strong in the eyes of the world! Even if you came to that old miser on bended knee for a donation, he'd still probably slam the door in your face.
on bended knee
Submissively and with dramatic earnestness. We have to remain strong in the eyes of the world. We cannot beg on bended knee for help from our allies. Do what you like, but don't come to me on bended knee looking for help when things go wrong.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
on bended knee
kneeling, as in supplication. (The verb form is obsolescent and occurs now only in this phrase.) Do you expect me to come to you on bended knee and ask you for forgiveness? The suitors came on bended knee and begged the attention of the princess.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
on bended knee
Humbly, pleading, as in They're desperate for funds; they're asking for contributions on bended knee. This expression alludes to a traditional attitude of supplication. Bended, the past tense of bend, survives only in this idiom, elsewhere having been replaced by bent. [Mid-1600s]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
on bended knee
If someone asks for something on bended knee, they ask for it in a strong and urgent way, showing a lot of respect to the person they are asking. Film-makers are having to go on bended knee to funders. He begged them on bended knee to cross the river so that both armies could fight side by side. Note: You can also say that someone goes down on their knees to ask for something. He would be looking for co-operation, not charity. He would not be going down on his knees to beg.
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012
on bended knee
kneeling, especially when pleading or showing great respect. Bended was the original past participle of bend , but in Middle English it was superseded in general use by bent . It is now archaic and survives only in this phrase.
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
on bended ˈknee(s)
kneeling to ask for something or to pray: He went down on bended knee and asked her to marry him.Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
on bended knee
On one's knee or knees, as in supplication or submission.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.