curtsy

curtsy
/kerrt"see/, n., pl. curtsies, v., curtsied, curtsying.
n.
1. a respectful bow made by women and girls, consisting of bending the knees and lowering the body.
v.i.
2. to make a curtsy.
[1520-30; var. of COURTESY]

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • curtsy — meaning a woman s or girl s formal greeting, is spelt curtsy in preference to curtsey. Its plural is curtsies, (in similar preference to curtseys), and as a verb it has inflected forms curtsies, curtsied, curtsying …   Modern English usage

  • curtsy — (also curtsey) ► NOUN (pl. curtsies or curtseys) ▪ a woman s or girl s formal greeting, made by bending the knees with one foot in front of the other. ► VERB (curtsies, curtsied or curtseys, curtseyed) ▪ perform a …   English terms dictionary

  • curtsy — [kʉrt′sē] n. pl. curtsies [var. of COURTESY] a gesture of greeting, respect, etc. made, esp. formerly, by girls and women and characterized by a bending of the knees and a slight lowering of the body vi. curtsied, curtsying to make a curtsy: Also …   English World dictionary

  • curtsy — (n.) 1540s, expression of respect, a variant of COURTESY (Cf. courtesy) (q.v.). Specific meaning a bending the knee and lowering the body as a gesture of respect is from 1570s. Originally not exclusively feminine. As a verb from 1550s …   Etymology dictionary

  • curtsy — I n. to make a curtsy II v. (D; intr.) to curtsy to (to curtsy to the Queen) * * * [ kɜːtsɪ] to make a curtsy (D;intr.) to curtsy to (to curtsy to the Queen) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • curtsy — I curtsy UK [ˈkɜː(r)tsɪ] / US [ˈkɜrtsɪ] or curtsey UK / US verb [intransitive] Word forms curtsy : present tense I/you/we/they curtsy he/she/it curtsies present participle curtsying past tense curtsied past participle curtsied if a woman curtsies …   English dictionary

  • curtsy — [[t]kɜ͟ː(r)tsi[/t]] curtsies, curtsying, curtsied also curtsey VERB If a woman or a girl curtsies, she lowers her body briefly, bending her knees and sometimes holding her skirt with both hands, as a way of showing respect for an important person …   English dictionary

  • curtsy — curtsey curt sey, curtsy curt sy(k[^u]rt s[y^]), n. An act of civility, respect, or reverence, made by women, consisting of a slight depression or dropping of the body, with bending of the knees. Same as 2nd {Courtesy}, n.. Syn: curtsy; courtesy …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • curtsy — curtsey curtsey, curtsy curtsyv. i. to perform a {curtsy}. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • curtsy — Courtesy Courte sy (k[^u]rt s[y^]), n. [See the preceding word.] An act of civility, respect, or reverence, made by women, consisting of a slight depression or dropping of the body, with bending of the knees. [Written also {curtsy} and… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • curtsy — I. noun also curtsey (plural curtsies; also curtseys) Date: 1533 an act of civility, respect, or reverence made mainly by women and consisting of a slight lowering of the body with bending of the knees II. intransitive verb also curtsey… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”