[krɪn(d)ʒ], (Verb)

Definitions:
- bend one's head and body in fear or apprehension or in a servile manner
(e.g: he cringed away from the blow)

- have an inward feeling of acute embarrassment or awkwardness
(e.g: I cringed at his stupidity)


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English crenge, crenche, related to Old English cringan, crincan ‘bend, yield, fall in battle’, of Germanic origin and related to Dutch krengen ‘heel over’ and German krank ‘sick’, also to crank

[krɪn(d)ʒ], (Noun)

Definitions:
- an act of cringing


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English crenge, crenche, related to Old English cringan, crincan ‘bend, yield, fall in battle’, of Germanic origin and related to Dutch krengen ‘heel over’ and German krank ‘sick’, also to crank

[krɪn(d)ʒ], (Adjective)

Definitions:
- causing feelings of acute embarrassment or awkwardness
(e.g: learning about sex and sexuality can be seriously cringe)


Phrases:

Origin:
Middle English crenge, crenche, related to Old English cringan, crincan ‘bend, yield, fall in battle’, of Germanic origin and related to Dutch krengen ‘heel over’ and German krank ‘sick’, also to crank