cringe

Meanings

Verb

• To cower, flinch, recoil, shrink, or tense, as in disgust, embarrassment, or fear.
• To experience an inward feeling of disgust, embarrassment, or fear; to feel very embarrassed.
• To bow or crouch in servility.
• To act in an obsequious or servile manner.
• To draw (a body part) close to the body; also, to distort or wrinkle (the face, etc.).
• To bow or crouch to (someone) in servility; to escort (someone) in a cringing manner.

Noun

• A gesture or posture of cringing (recoiling or shrinking).
• An act or disposition of servile obeisance.
• A crick.
• Awkwardness or embarrassment which causes an onlooker to cringe; cringeworthiness.

Adjective

• Inducing awkwardness or embarrassment; cringemaking, cringeworthy, cringy.

Origin

• . The English word is cognate with Danish krænge, Dutch krengen, Scots crenge, creenge, creinge, crienge, Swedish kränga, and West Frisian kringe; and is a crinkle.
• The noun and adjective are derived from the verb.