The lady drops a courtesy in token of obedience, and the ceremony proceeds as usual. --Golgsmith. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
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 — 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
