Cringe

Definition of Cringe

Pronunciation: krĭnj
v. t.1.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.
[imp. & p. p. Cringed (krĭnjd); p. pr. & vb. n. Cringing.]
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.
1.To contract; to draw together; to cause to shrink or wrinkle; to distort.
Till like a boy you see him cringe his face,
And whine aloud for mercy.
- Shak.
n.1.Servile civility; fawning; a shrinking or bowing, as in fear or servility.

Related Words

apple-polish, avoid, bend, bend the knee, bend the neck, bend to, blench, blink, bootlick, bow, bow and scrape, bow down, bow to, brown-nose, cower, crawl, creep, cringe to, croodle, crouch, crouch before, curtsy, defer, do homage, do obeisance, dodge, draw back, draw in, duck, eat dirt, evade, fade, fall back, fawn, flatter, flinch, funk, genuflect, get down, grovel, hang back, hunch, hunch down, jib, kneel, kneel to, knuckle to, kowtow, lick the dust, lickspittle, pull back, pull in, pull out, quail, quiver, recoil, reel back, retract, retreat, scrouch down, sheer off, shrink, shrink back, shy, sidestep, skulk, slaver, slink, sneak, squat, start aside, start back, stoop, swerve, toadeat, toady, tremble, truckle, truckle to, turn aside, wallow, weasel, weasel out, welter, wince, withdraw
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Cringer
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crinkle root
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