Associations to the word «Cringe»

Wiktionary

CRINGE, noun. A posture or gesture of shrinking or recoiling.
CRINGE, noun. (dialect) A crick.
CRINGE, verb. (dated) (intransitive) To bow or crouch in servility.
CRINGE, verb. (intransitive) To shrink, tense or recoil, as in fear, disgust or embarrassment.
CRINGE, verb. (transitive) (obsolete) To contract; to draw together; to cause to shrink or wrinkle; to distort.

Dictionary definition

CRINGE, verb. Draw back, as with fear or pain; "she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf".
CRINGE, verb. Show submission or fear.

Wise words

Words, words, words! They shut one off from the universe. Three quarters of the time one's never in contact with things, only with the beastly words that stand for them.
Aldous Huxley