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.
See also: bring, knee

Common Names:

NameGenderPronouncedUsage
Dorottya-Hungarian
Tajuana-African American (Rare)
Padmini-Indian, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu
Kristupas-Lithuanian
Zahir-Arabic, Bengali, Punjabi
Amardeep-Indian (Sikh)