Definitions for: Cringe


[v] draw back, as with fear or pain; "she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf"
[v] show submission or fear



Webster (1913) Definition: Cringe (kr?nj), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Crnged (kr?njd);
p. pr. & vb. n. Cringing.] [As. crincgang, cringan,
crincan, to jield, fall; akin to E. crank.]
To draw one's self together as in fear or servility; to bend
or crouch with base humility; to wince; hence; to make court
in a degrading manner; to fawn.

When they were come up to the place where the lions
were, the boys that went before were glad to cringe
behind, for they were afraid of the lions. --Bunyan.

Sly hypocrite, . . . who more than thou Once fawned and
cringed, and servilely adored Heaven's awful monarch?
--Milton.

Flatterers . . . are always bowing and cringing.
--Arbuthnot.


Cringe, v. t.
To contract; to draw together; to cause to shrink or wrinkle;
to distort. [Obs.]

Till like a boy you see him cringe his face, And whine
aloud for mercy. --Shak.


Cringe, n.
Servile civility; fawning; a shrinking or bowing, as in fear
or servility. ``With cringe and shrug, and bow obsequious.''
--Cowper.

Synonyms: cower, crawl, creep, fawn, flinch, funk, grovel, quail, recoil, shrink, squinch, wince

See Also: bend, flex, move, retract, shrink back

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