tug one's forelock

present singular third person tugs one's forelock · participle present tugging one's forelock · participle past tugged one's forelock · past tugged one's forelock

1. idiomaticintransitiveoften satirical or contemptuousTo show deference or obsequious respect.

   These students were quite capable of tugging their forelocks while raising two fingers behind their backs (Newby, 1977), i.e. producing deferential behaviour as part of a more complicated game of manipulation.

   1988, David Corson, Education for Work: Background to Policy and Curriculum, page 228

   1 more example

   "Aw, lay off, will you? It's part of my job, you know that." "Yeah, bowing and scraping and tugging your forelock to all those rich old crones. Somebody's chauffeur probably got a scratch on the El Dorado, huh?"

   2013, William G. Tapply, The Dutch Blue Error

   Synonyms: bow and scrape, pull one's forelock, touch one's forelock