on one's knees

English

Adjective

on one's knees (not comparable)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see on,‎ one,‎ knee.
2. (idiomatic) On the verge of collapse; at the mercy of someone.
   • 2011 January 22, “Man Utd 5 - 0 Birmingham”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     Hungry Berbatov then converted a Giggs cross for his third before Nani slotted a fifth with Birmingham on their knees.

   • 2023 March 8, David Clough, “The long road that led to Beeching”, in RAIL, number 978, page 38:

     The accepted view is that at the end of hostilities in 1945, the railways were on their knees.

Translations

At the mercy of someone

• Finnish: polvillaan
• French: à genoux (fr)

Further reading

• “on your knees” in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Longman.
• “on your knees” (US) / “on your knees” (UK) in Macmillan English Dictionary.