c1200 Vices & Virtues 127 Oððer mid cnewlinge, oððer mid swinke.

c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (Roxb.) xxvi. 122 Þai do grete wirschepe also to þe sonne, and mase many knelinges þerto.

1509 J. Fisher Mornynge Remembraunce Countesse of Rychemonde (de Worde) sig. Aiv ^v Y^e blessyd Martha is commended in orderynge of her soule to god, by often knelynges.

1631 J. Weever Anc. Funerall Monuments 202 There was..such creeping and kneeling to his Tombe.

1769 ‘Junius’ Stat Nominis Umbra (1772) I. xv. 105 A court, in which prayers are morality, and kneeling is religion.

1881 C. M. Yonge Lads & Lasses Langley ii. 69 The next time there was a kneeling; that is to say, when the children and Miss Dora went down on their knees, as Frank had never seen any one..except perhaps the clergyman, kneel before.

1587 in J. A. Picton City of Liverpool: Select. Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 105 Highest place in that form where they have been and are accustomed to be and have their kneeling.

a1647 T. Habington Surv. Worcs. (Worcs. Hist. Soc.) (1895) I. iii. 507 In the..highest windowe, vnder which Habington's auncesters have formerly had theyre kneelinge.

1852 Ecclesiologist XIII. 309 The Chapel of the Holy Trinity, which..is also furnished with similar kneelings.

1861 A. Beresford-Hope Eng. Cathedral of 19th Cent. 116 Space beyond that which is required for the sittings or kneelings of the average place of worship.

1876 T. Hardy Hand of Ethelberta II. xlvii. 252 Chickerel turned towards the chancel, his eye being attracted by a red kneeling-cushion.

1647 in Arch. Maryland (1887) IV. 321 A kneeling desk, & a picture of Paules.

1853 J. D. H. Dale tr. G. Baldeschi Ceremonial Rom. Rite 200 (note) An uncovered kneeling-desk before the Altar.

1907 Yesterday's Shopping (1969) 231/4 2 Housemaid's Kneeling Mats—0 2 [s] 6 [d].

1969 E. H. Pinto Treen 94 The traditional U-shaped elm kneeling mat or ‘kneeler’..had many uses on the farm. It was also used until early in this century in the house.

a1847 E. Cook Thanksgiving ii My temple dome is Thy broad sky, my kneeling-place Thy sod.

1844 C. M. Yonge Abbeychurch v. 64 Do you not remember how much trouble Rupert took to find a pattern for the kneeling-stools?

1881 F. Young Every Man his own Mechanic (ed. 8) 798 Carpeting of a sober pattern..for kneeling stools in a church.

1954 W. Hannah Christian by Degrees xii. 167 To the west of the Sepulchre is a kneeling-stool.

1703 R. Neve City & Countrey Purchaser 217 Making and setting up of Palisado~pales (if the Heads are handsomely cut,..and the Rails, Kneeling-rails) is worth 14s. per Rod.

1884 Instr. Mil. Engin. (ed. 3) I. ii. 72 The mode of executing the sap..is done in two ways, called, kneeling sap, and standing sap, from the attitude in which the leading sappers work... In the kneeling sap it is imperative to use shields for the protection of the sappers.

1587 A. Fleming et al. Holinshed's Chron. (new ed.) III. Contin. 1317/2 The bowed knees of kneeling hearts.

1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II v. iii. 130 Oh happy vantage of a kneeling knee. View more context for this quotation

1855 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. xx. 387 On the day when he told the kneeling fellows of Magdalene to get out of his sight.

a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Jer. xxxviii. 26 Knelyngli y puttide forth my preiris bifore the kyng.