To Genuflect

1. (intransitive, archaic) To bend the knee, as in servitude.
2. (intransitive) To briefly enter a position that touches one knee to the ground in a manner that is typically associated with formal homage or religious worship.
3. (intransitive, figuratively) To behave in a servile manner; to grovel.

Usage notes

The brief manner of touching one knee to the ground while genuflecting differs from the duration typically associated with kneeling down onto one or two knees.