Meaning: housemaid's knee

n.
swelling of the bursa in the knee (due to trauma or excessive kneeling)

knee Idiom, Proverb

crawl on my hands and knees over broken glass just

do anything to be closer to her, worship the ground she walks on I'm so in love I'd crawl on my hands and knees over miles of broken glass to see her photo.

knee high to a grasshopper

small or short, the size of a child When we lived in Oslo, you were just knee high to a grasshopper.

the bee's knees

the best, superior, the cat's meow Kay was voted best citizen. Now she thinks she's the bee's knees.

weak kneed

not strong in character, lacking will power Marvin yielded to temptation. He appears to be weak kneed.

bee's knees

the best; this term originates from the prolific slang of the Flappers along with the similar 'cats whiskers'. See "dog's bollocks" [U.S. 1920s]

drop to one's knees

kneel down跪下
The man dropped to his knees，begging for mercy．那人跪了下来，请求宽恕。

on one's knees

1． pleading； begging very hard求饶
The children were on their knees for hours before their parents agreed to their camping plans．孩子们求了几个小时家长才同意让他们去野营。
2．in a very weak condition；near failure处于困境；濒临失败
The company was on its knees owing to a decrease in its sales．由于销售额下降，公司陷入了困境。

on bended knee

Idiom(s): on bended knee

Theme: RESPECT

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.

knee-high to a grasshopper

Idiom(s): knee-high to a grasshopper

Theme: SHORT

not very tall; short and small, as a child. (Folksy.)
• Hello, Billy. I haven t seen you since you were knee-high to a grasshopper.
• I have two grandchildren, both knee-high to a grasshopper.

KNEEL DOWN

(intransitive) to go down on your knees
" Before he goes to bed, Max kneels down to pray."

Knee-jerk reaction

A knee-jerk reaction is an instant, instinctive response to a situation.

Weak at the knees

If people go weak at the knees, they have a powerful emotional reaction to something and feel that they might fall over.

Knee Jerk Reaction

A quick and automatic response.

bring to one's knees|bring|knee|knees

v. phr. To seriously weaken the power or impair the function of. The fuel shortage brought the automobile industry to its knees.

in the lap of the gods|god|gods|knee|knees|lap|on

adv. phr., literary Beyond human control; not to be decided by anyone. Frank had worked hard as a candidate, and as election day came he felt that the result was in the lap of the gods. The armies were evenly matched and the result of the battle seemed to be on the knees of the gods.

knee-deep|knee|neck|neck-deep

adv. or adj. phr. 1. Very much; deeply; having a big part in. Johnny was knee-deep in trouble. 2. Very busy; working hard at. We were neck-deep in homework before the exams. 3. Getting or having many or much. The television station was knee-deep in phone calls.
Compare: UP TO THE CHIN IN.

knee-high to a grasshopper|duck|grasshopper|knee|k

adj. phr., informal As tall as a very small child; very young. Charles started reading when he was knee-high to a grasshopper. I've known Mary ever since she was knee-high to a duck.

kneeling bus|bus|kneel|kneeling

n., informal A bus equipped with a hydraulic device to enable it to drop almost to curb level for greater ease of boarding and leaving vehicle, as a convenience for elderly or handicapped passengers. The man on crutches was pleased to see the kneeling bus.

on one's knees|knee|knees|on

adj. phr. 1. Pleading; begging very hard. The boys were on their knees for hours before their parents agreed to their camping plans. The Jacksons won't contribute to the Red Cross unless you get on your knees. 2. In a very weak condition; near failure. When the graduates of the school heard that it was on its knees they gave money generously so that it would not close.

bring to one's knees

bring to one's knees
Make one submit; reduce to a position of subservience. For example, Solitary confinement usually brings prisoners to their knees. This particular phrase dates only from the late 1800s, although there were earlier versions alluding to being on one's knees as a gesture of submission.

knee

knee
In addition to the idiom beginning with knee, also see bring to one's knees; on bended knee.