Re: "Cowtail" for "kow-tow" or that a cow twitches its tail, and “kowtow” is a brief switch? Though most people use “kowtow” to mean “give in,” or “cater to,” without ever thinking of the physical movement of the bow.
Full Answer
What is the difference between kowtow and cowtow?
Kowtow is the submissive act of bowing deeply and kneeling low enough to touch one's forehead to the ground. "What insolence! The client's wife expects me to kowtow in her presence." Cowtow is the misspelling of the word, kowtow.
What is the meaning of the word cowtail?
Definition of cowtail. : a wool of the coarsest grade sheared from the hind legs of the sheep. You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.
What is a kowtow bow?
The word "kowtow" came into English in the early 19th century to describe the bow itself, but its meaning soon shifted to describe any abject submission or groveling. The term is still commonly used in English with this meaning, disconnected from the physical act and the East Asian context.
Why does kow tow sound a lot like cow tail?
Perhaps it is kow tow that sounds a lot like cow tail and not the other way around. Kow tow and cow tail do not have the same meaning. Kow tow is an Asian derivative which means simply to bow to pay respect. On the other hand cow tailing means sucking it up to please someone else and has little to do about respect.
What does it mean to Cowtail to someone?
On the other hand cow tailing means sucking it up to please someone else and has little to do about respect. I see cow tail as a perfectly good idiom to describe following someone around and heeding to their every wish . . . just as the tail of a cow follows the cow every where the cow goes.
Is it cow-TOW or cow tail?
You can tow a cow to water, but you can't make it drink. But the word that means bowing worshipfully before someone comes from the Chinese words for knocking one's head on the ground, and is spelled kowtow.
Is it kowtow or kowtow?
kowtow, also spelled kotow, Chinese (Pinyin) keitou or (Wade-Giles romanization) k'o-t'ou, in traditional China, the act of supplication made by an inferior to his superior by kneeling and knocking his head to the floor.
What does Cowtoe mean?
kowtow \KOW-tow\ verb. 1 : to show obsequious deference : fawn. 2 : to kneel and touch the forehead to the ground in token of homage, worship, or deep respect.
Can you say kowtow?
The word is pronounced 'cow-TOW' with the stress on the second syllable. It is mostly used to show disapproval. When you 'kowtow' to someone in authority, you do everything you can to please him.
How do you pronounce kow tow?
Kowtow is pronounced "Ko - Toe" as opposed to "Cow - Tow". What does Kowtow mean? Kowtow is a Chinese word that represents the custom of deep respect, shown by kneeling and bowing so low that your forehead touches the ground.
Why is it called kowtow?
Kowtow is derived from the Chinese word k'o-t'ou, which literally means “knock the head.” As a verb, kowtow has the sense of “sucking up” or "flattering." Maybe you're wondering when it would be appropriate to kowtow.
What are Volitions?
Definition of volition 1 : the power of choosing or determining : will. 2 : an act of making a choice or decision also : a choice or decision made.
How do you pronounce kowtow in Chinese?
0:040:20How To Pronounce Kowtow - Pronunciation Academy - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTchau tchau tchau tchau tchau tchau tchau tchau thanks for watching if. You like this video pleaseMoreTchau tchau tchau tchau tchau tchau tchau tchau thanks for watching if. You like this video please subscribe to our channel and help us pronounce.
How do you make a Ke Tou?
A kowtow /ˈkaʊtaʊ/ is the act of deep respect shown by prostration, that is, kneeling and bowing so low as to have one's head touching the ground. In Sinospheric culture, the kowtow is the highest sign of reverence.
What is kowtow Buddhism?
The Tibetan kowtow is a ritual in Tibetan Buddhism. Palms put together, Tibetans prostrate themselves on the ground, with the head, arms, and knees down on the ground, and move forward slowly, following every step with a kowtow.
Is Kow a Scrabble word?
Yes, kow is a valid Scrabble word.
What is a kowtow in a sentence?
Examples of kowtow in a Sentence. Verb you can try kowtowing to the boss, but he'll see right through you. Recent Examples on the Web: Verb And she was indeed defined by a steely independent streak that did not kowtow to outsiders, whether established civil rights figures or the leader of the free world.
What does "kowtow" mean for kids?
Kids Definition of kowtow. : to obey a person in a position of power in a way that seems weak : show overly respectful attention "And don't expect me to kowtow to you, mortal, just because old Barnacle-Beard is your father.". — Rick Riordan, The Lightning Thief.
Where did the word "kowtow" come from?
The word kowtow derives from Chinese "koutou," formed by combining the verb "kou" ("to knock") with the noun "tou" ("head"). The noun had arrived in English by 1804, and the earliest evidence for the verb dates from 1826.
Did you know?
Kowtow originated as a noun referring to the act of kneeling and touching one's head to the ground as a salute or act of worship to a revered authority. In traditional China this ritual was performed by commoners making requests to the local magistrate, by the emperor to the shrine of Confucius, or by foreign representatives appearing before the emperor to establish trade relations. (In the late 18th century, some Western nations resisted performing the ritual, which acknowledged the Chinese emperor as the "son of heaven.") The word kowtow derives from Chinese koutou, formed by combining the verb kou ("to knock") with the noun tou ("head").
What is the meaning of kowtow?
Kowtow, which is borrowed from kau tau in Cantonese Chinese ( koutou in Mandarin), is the act of deep respect shown by prostration, that is, kneeling and bowing so low as to have one's head touching the ground. In Sinospheric culture, the kowtow is the highest sign of reverence. It was widely used to show reverence for one's elders, superiors, and especially the Emperor, as well as for religious and cultural objects of worship. In modern times, usage of the kowtow has been reduced.
What is the kowtow of the head?
In Buddhism it is more commonly termed either "worship with the crown (of the head)" (頂禮 ding li) or "casting the five limbs to the earth" (五體投地 wuti tou di)—referring to the two arms, two legs and forehead.
What is the kowtow ceremony?
In the most solemn of ceremonies, for example at the coronation of a new Emperor, the Emperor's subjects would undertake the ceremony of the "three kneelings and nine kowtows", the so-called grand kowtow, which involves kneeling from a standing position three times, and each time, performing the kowtow three times while kneeling. Immanuel Hsu describes the "full kowtow" as "three kneelings and nine knockings of the head on the ground".
Why did the King of Korea kowtow three times?
In 1636, after being defeated by the invading Manchus, King Injo of Joseon (Korea) was forced to surrender by kowtowing three times to pledge tributary status to the Qing Emperor, Hong Taiji. As was customary of all Asian envoys to Qing China, Joseon envoys kowtowed three times to the Qing emperor during their visits to China, continuing until 1896, when the Korean Empire withdrew its tributary status from Qing as a result of the First Sino-Japanese War.
What was the purpose of the kowtow?
The kowtow was often performed in intra-Asian diplomatic relations as well. In 1636, after being defeated by the invading Manchus, King Injo of Joseon (Korea) was forced to surrender by kowtowing three times to pledge tributary status to the Qing Emperor, Hong Taiji.
Do commoners kowtow?
As government officials represented the majesty of the Emperor while carrying out their duties, commoners were also required to kowtow to them in formal situations. For example, a commoner brought before a local magistrate would be required to kneel and kowtow. A commoner is then required to remain kneeling, whereas a person who has earned a degree in the Imperial examinations is permitted a seat.
When did the word "kowtow" come into use?
The word "kowtow" came into English in the early 19th century to describe the bow itself, but its meaning soon shifted to describe any abject submission or groveling. The term is still commonly used in English with this meaning, disconnected from the physical act and the East Asian context.
How to spell cowtow?
Now for cow-tow (also spelled solid, as cowtow, and separated, as cow tow ). This one is in Brians, under cowtow/kowtow, and was noted in a discussion on the Eggcorn Forum back in March. You can google up a pile of hits; it’s all over the place. The question then is whether this is a simple misspelling, with initial /k/ spelled by the more common C rather than K; or a spelling like pail for pale in beyond the pail (more on this below); or an eggcorn in which cows are somehow involved (a possibility that the posters on the forum found unlikely). It is, of course, possible that different people have hit on the spelling by different routes.
What is a cowtail swing?
cowtail swing A long swing of a bat held at the very end of the handle, resembling the looping motion of a cow swishing its tail.
Who said "non-eggcorn cowtail"?
Non-eggcorn cowtailing. A search for cowtail pulls up this quote, from Ty Cobb’ s My Life in Baseball (1961):
Is "cow-tow" a misspelling?
That is, I’m suggesting that many occurrences of cow-tow are demi-eggcorns (some probably are simple misspellings) — of a type corresponding to the type 2 eggcorns above, with spelling altered but pronunciation preserved.