n. 25B6; verb
they kowtowed to the Emperor : PROSTRATE ONESELF, bow (down before), genuflect, do/make obeisance, fall on one's knees before, kneel before.
she didn't have to kowtow to a boss : GROVEL, be obsequious, be servile, be sycophantic, fawn on, bow and scrape, toady, truckle, abase oneself, humble oneself; curry favour with, dance attendance on, make up to, ingratiate oneself with; informal crawl, creep, suck up, lick someone's boots; Austral./NZ informal smoodge to.