First of all, it is worth noting that phraseological units are essential components of the vocabulary of the Russian language. They have been used for many centuries and practically do not lose their essence, although they undergo some changes. But what is the meaning of the expression "bow at the feet"? Are there other interesting phraseological units that are similar in meaning?
About phraseologisms
In the Russian language there are not only individual words that describe the reality around us, but also whole phrases. Such expressions consist of two or more words that combine something into a single meaning. They create a figurative expression that is stable in its composition. It is these phrases that are called phraseological units.
To understand the importance of this unit of Russian vocabulary, you need to analyze the frequency of its use. For example, do you know the meaning of the idiom "hang noodles"? Everyone knows that such an expression indicates deception or deliberate misleading of a person. It can be seen here that the phraseological unit in its meaning does not follow from the semantics of eachwords contained in it.
To put it simply, a phraseological phrase is a combination of words inherent in only one language, which can be determined by the following features:
- has a stable shape;
- is not determined by the meaning of the words in it, if taken individually;
- often not translated verbatim, because the meaning is lost (often foreigners have difficulty translating);
- decorates the tongue with bright emotional coloring;
- often do not meet modern language standards, thus being grammatical archaisms.
Phraseologisms are specific turns of speech or, in other words, idioms that are so densely occupied in spoken and written speech that sometimes they are no longer noticed.
Bow at your feet
The above expression means "to greet superiors" or "to beg, beg someone for something." With this expression, you can emphasize respect for someone, recognition of his power. The phrase also implies that people have different social status and that the person asking is referring to another person higher in the social ladder.
Another form of this idiom is “to bow at the mother's feet”. Here her authority among children, her power is recognized. Previously, parents were addressed exclusively to "You" and only after bowing to the floor. It was especially important to do this when communicating with the mother, who gavea life. Often, such a phraseological unit means a manifestation of gratitude on the part of children and deep respect.
This expression does not mean humiliation
Often, when you need to take time off from your boss at work, you can hear the indignant “Yes, I won’t bow at his feet!”. The use of this phraseological unit in this situation is not entirely correct, and therefore another, no less persistent expression appeared: “To wallow at your feet”. It conveys more the meaning of humiliation in front of someone, which is more appropriate for this situation.
But giving someone a “kowtow” is, in fact, the same as coming to a person and “bowing at his feet”. It does not harm the inner self. Rather, on the contrary, it emphasizes deep respect for someone.
It can be said that the meaning of the phraseological unit "bow at the feet" has a deeper meaning than it might initially seem. So, often this phrase is decomposed into five meanings.
- Repeated inclination, repeatedly. For example, bowing to images in a church.
- To humiliate myself in front of someone. A proud person does not bow at the feet in front of others.
- Worship. Bow to idols.
- Greet someone. "Bow at your feet" - say hello.
- Please. Make obeisances. Ask, beg.
In one form or another, phrases about kowtow are often found in Russian literature, regardless of whether it is modern or not. Surprisingly, even today this phraseological unit does not lose its relevance.
What everyone knows
In my favoritemillions of viewers of the movie "Ivan Vasilievich Changes His Profession", there is a scene when Tsar Ivan the Terrible and the clerk of the embassy order Feofan write a letter. The king dictates the following: “To the heavenly village, the Monk Abbot Kozma. Tsar and Grand Duke of All Russia. He beats with his forehead. After writing, they burst into laughter. What made the tsar and the deacon laugh so much? What is behind the phrase "beats with a forehead"? Is it synonymous with "bow at the feet"?
It is necessary to take into account the meaning of the phraseological unit. The expression "beats with a forehead" can be conveyed as a bow to the feet, a low bow. The following concepts are consonant with this phraseological unit:
- ask;
- kneel;
- bow;
- pray;
- obey;
- say hello.
It seems that the difference between the two phraseological units “beats with a forehead” and “bow at the feet” is that the second one has a deeper meaning, while the phrase used in the movie is more narrowly focused. At the moment, it is often used as a "flying expression" - a phrase that has become famous thanks to a book, film, performance of a star or politician, and so on. But are the words of Ivan Vasilyevich correctly used?
He beats with his forehead
This wording has Russian roots and goes back to the days when it was common to prostrate before the tsar in Russia. Consider the meaning of the phrase verbatim.
What is a forehead? In ancient times, this was the name of the human forehead. It turns out that to beat with the forehead is to beat with the forehead. And once it's been acceptedbow to the king to the very ground, then they beat their foreheads against it. Thus, the boyars showed gratitude to the sovereign or attracted his attention. Thanks to this, a new word appeared: a petition is a document read to the king and accompanied by a bow to the ground.
Tsar John Vasilyevich
So what made Tsar Ivan the Terrible and the clerk Feofan laugh? After parsing the phrase “he beats with his forehead”, it is clear that the tsar’s humility towards Abbot Kozma should be implied here. At that time, the abbot served in the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery. This situation took place in September 1537, when Ivan the Terrible wrote a petition to the monastery.
Over time, it became one of the most famous documents of the XVI century. If you find it on the Internet, you will notice that it is thoroughly saturated with sarcasm, which comes through from every phrase. This petition was not her at all. Starting with self-deprecating words, Tsar Ivan the Terrible gradually moved on to the essence of this letter - accusing Abbot Kozma and his monastic brethren of ingratitude and violation of discipline. In this case, behind the phrase "beats" was the thought of punishment and indignation.
The one who received this "petition" from the very first lines felt all the aggression contained in its lines. And the idiom under consideration only strengthened the impressions received.
So what now?
Obviously, the use of phraseological units by a person indicates his education and literacy. The main thing is to use them appropriately. But more importantly, whatever meaningphrases, more valuable is when words match deeds.
