Hypertext Webster Gateway: "cringe"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Cringe \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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Cringe \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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Cringe \Cringe\, n.
Servile civility; fawning; a shrinking or bowing, as in fear
or servility. ``With cringe and shrug, and bow obsequious.''
--Cowper.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
cringe
v 1: draw back, as with fear [syn: {flinch}, {squinch}, {funk}, {shrink},
{wince}, {recoil}, {quail}]
2: show submission or fear [syn: {fawn}, {crawl}, {creep}, {cower},
{grovel}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.