kneel /niːl/ BrE AmE ( also kneel down ) verb ( past tense and past participle knelt /nelt/ or kneeled American English ) [intransitive]
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: cneowlian ]
to be in or move into a position where your body is resting on your knees:
Tom knelt down and patted the dog.
kneel on
She knelt on the floor and put more wood on the fire.