# bend the knee

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bend-the-knee
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To swear fealty or allegiance to another person.

## Examples

- The knight had to bend the knee to his new king.
- In the old stories, the defeated rebels were forced to bend the knee to the queen to save their lives.
- The proud lord refused to bend the knee, choosing instead to face exile rather than swear his loyalty to a ruler he despised.

## Origin

Calque of Latin genūflectō. Popularized by its use on the television series Game of Thrones (2011-2019).

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.