cringe
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
Via Middle English, from Old English cringan.
Pronunciation [edit]
Noun [edit]
cringe (plural cringes)
- A posture or gesture of shrinking or recoiling.
- He glanced with a cringe at the mess on his desk.
- (dialect) A crick.
Translations [edit]
Verb [edit]
cringe (third-person singular simple present cringes, present participle cringing, simple past and past participle cringed) (intransitive)
- (dated, intransitive) To bow or crouch in servility.
- 1903, W. E. B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk,
- He heard the hateful clank of their chains; he felt them cringe and grovel, and there rose within him a protest and a prophecy.
- 1904, Jack London, Batard in The Faith of Men,
- Leclere was bent on the coming of the day when Batard should wilt in spirit and cringe and whimper at his feet.
- 1903, W. E. B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk,
- (intransitive) To shrink, tense or recoil, as in fear, disgust or embarrassment.
- He cringed as the bird collided with the window.
- 1917, Jack London, Jerry of the Islands,
- But he made no whimper. Nor did he wince or cringe to the blows. He bored straight in, striving, without avoiding a blow, to beat and meet the blow with his teeth.
- (transitive, obsolete) To contract; to draw together; to cause to shrink or wrinkle; to distort.
- Shakespeare
- Till like a boy you see him cringe his face, / And whine aloud for mercy.
- Shakespeare
Derived terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
To shrink or recoil, as in fear, disgust or embarrassment
