obeisance

n.

1. A gesture or movement of the body, such as a curtsy, that expresses deference or homage.
2. An attitude of deference or homage.

[Middle English obeisaunce, from Old French obeissance, from obeissant, present participle of obeir, to obey. See obey.]

obeisant o·bei'sant adj.

Maureen Dowd used the word obeisance (gesture that expresses homage) in her column that contrasted how "media big shots are moving away from patriarchal, authoritarian voice-of-God figures, even as the Catholic Church and politics are moving toward patriarchal, authoritarian voice-of-God figures."

"Mr. Bush's more subtle obeisance to the evangelical right is no longer enough. Puffed up with its electoral clout, the Christian right now wants politicians to genuflect openly."

Link: Smoke Gets in Our News.

Posted April 20, 2005.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

noun

1. An inclination of the head or body, as in greeting, consent, courtesy, submission, or worship: bow¹, curtsy, genuflection, kowtow, nod. See courtesy/discourtesy.
2. Great respect or high public esteem accorded as a right or as due: deference, homage, honor. See respect/contempt/standing.

n

Definition: salutation, curtsy
Antonyms: bad manners, disobedience, disregard, disrespect

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IN BRIEF: A movement made to show respect.

During his obeisance to the queen, he heard his pants rip and could not help but wish for a distracting herd of buffalo to stampede into the great hall.

Dansk (Danish)
n. - reverens, dybt buk

Nederlands (Dutch)
(diepe) buiging, hulde, eerbied

Français (French)
n. - hommage, révérence

Deutsch (German)
n. - Ehrerbietung, Verbeugung

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - βαθιά υπόκλιση, τεμενάς, υποταγή, προσκύνημα

Italiano (Italian)
riverenza, inchino, ossequio

Português (Portuguese)
n. - deferência (f), mesura (f)

Русский (Russian)
поклон, послушание, покорность

Español (Spanish)
n. - respeto, deferencia, reverencia, homenaje

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - vördnadsfull hälsning, hyllning, vördnad

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
敬礼, 顿首, 鞠躬

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 敬禮, 頓首, 鞠躬

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 인사,절, 복종, 존경

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 礼, 敬礼, 尊敬, 服従, 敬意

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) خضوع, إجلال‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮כבוד, קידה עמוקה‬

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