From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Cringe \Cringe\ (kr[i^]nj), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Cringed}
(kr[i^]njd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Cringing}.] [As. crincgan,
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.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
Sly hypocrite, . . . who more than thou
Once fawned and cringed, and servilely adored
Heaven's awful monarch? --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
Flatterers . . . are always bowing and cringing.
--Arbuthnot.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Cringe \Cringe\, v. t.
To contract; to draw together; to cause to shrink or wrinkle;
to distort. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
Till like a boy you see him cringe his face,
And whine aloud for mercy. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Cringe \Cringe\, n.
Servile civility; fawning; a shrinking or bowing, as in fear
or servility. "With cringe and shrug, and bow obsequious."
--Cowper.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
cringe
v 1: draw back, as with fear or pain; "she flinched when they
showed the slaughtering of the calf" [syn: {flinch},
{squinch}, {funk}, {cringe}, {shrink}, {wince}, {recoil},
{quail}]
2: show submission or fear [syn: {fawn}, {crawl}, {creep},
{cringe}, {cower}, {grovel}]
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