cringe
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cringe
(krĭnj)intr.v. cringed, cring·ing, cring·es
1. To shrink back, as in fear; cower.
2. To behave in a servile way; fawn.
n.
An act or instance of cringing.
[Middle English crengen, to bend haughtily, probably ultimately from Old English cringan, to give way.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
cringe
(krɪndʒ)vb (intr)
1. to shrink or flinch, esp in fear or servility
2. to behave in a servile or timid way
3. informal
a. to wince in embarrassment or distaste
b. to experience a sudden feeling of embarrassment or distaste
n
4. the act of cringing
5. (Sociology) the cultural cringe Austral subservience to overseas cultural standards
[Old English cringan to yield in battle; related to Old Norse krangr weak, Middle High German krenken to weaken]
ˈcringer n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
cringe
(krɪndʒ)v. cringed, cring•ing,
n. v.i.
1. to shrink or crouch, esp. in fear or servility; cower.
2. to fawn; toady.
n. 3. servile or fawning deference.
[1175–1225; Middle English crengen,crenchen (transitive); Old English *crencean, crencgean, causative of cringan, crincan to yield, fall (in battle), c. Old Frisian krenza, Dutch krengen to keel over]
cring′er, n.
cring′ing•ly, adv.
cring′ing•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
cringe
Past participle: cringed
Gerund: cringing
| Imperative |
|---|
| cringe |
| cringe |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
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| Verb | 1. | cringe - draw back, as with fear or pain; "she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf" move - move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion; "He moved his hand slightly to the right" shrink back, retract - pull away from a source of disgust or fear |
| 2. | cringe - show submission or fear |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
cringe
verb
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
cringe
verb1. To draw away involuntarily, usually out of fear or disgust:
2. To support slavishly every opinion or suggestion of a superior:
Slang: suck up.
Idioms: curry favor, dance attendance, kiss someone's feet, lick someone's boots.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
cringe
[krɪndʒ] VI1. (= shrink back) → encogerse (at ante) to cringe with fear → encogerse de miedo
to cringe with embarrassment → morirse de vergüenza
it makes me cringe → me da horror
to cringe with embarrassment → morirse de vergüenza
it makes me cringe → me da horror
2. (= fawn) → acobardarse, agacharse (before ante)
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
cringe
(krindʒ) verb to shrink back in fear, terror etc. The dog cringed when his cruel master raised his hand to strike him.encogerse
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.