cringing


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.
Related to cringing: bize, howk, reassurance, stank

cringe

 (krĭnj)
intr.v. cringed, cring·ing, cring·es
1. To shrink back, as in fear; cower.
2. To behave in a servile way; fawn.
n.
An act or instance of cringing.

[Middle English crengen, to bend haughtily, probably ultimately from Old English cringan, to give way.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

cringing

(ˈkrɪndʒɪŋ)
adj
servile; obsequious
ˈcringingly adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.cringing - totally submissive
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations

cringing

[ˈkrɪndʒɪŋ] ADJservil, rastrero
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
References in classic literature ?
He was equable and not cringing with his superiors, was free and ingratiating in his behavior with his equals, and was contemptuously indulgent with his inferiors.
The elder advanced with a cringing smile, like a mongrel used to blows.
The wild-dog was what he was, a wild-dog, cringing and sneaking, his ears for ever down, his tail for ever between his legs, for ever apprehending fresh misfortune and ill-treatment to fall on him, for ever fearing and resentful, fending off threatened hurt with lips curling malignantly from his puppy fangs, cringing under a blow, squalling his fear and his pain, and ready always for a treacherous slash if luck and safety favoured.
Luker was, in every respect, such an inferior creature to the Indian-- he was so vulgar, so ugly, so cringing, and so prosy--that he is quite unworthy of being reported, at any length, in these pages.
She was merely his chattel now, his convenience, his dog, his cringing and helpless slave, the humble and unresisting victim of his capricious temper and vicious nature.
"A cringing worm is what you want, not a bright, smiling child.
Some of them were beautiful, but at the same time they carried such evidences about them of the cringing spirit of those great men that we found small pleasure in examining them.
BBC Breakfast viewers said they were cringing as presenters Naga Munchetty and Jon Kay were "vibing" to MC Grammar.
[USA], Nov 21 (ANI): Pop singer Pink has slammed everyone who said she was cringing at Christina Aguilera's Whitney Houston tribute on Sunday's American Music Awards.
MOVIE fans have been left "cringing" over David Beckham's acting skills after spotting him in a trailer for upcoming epic King Arthur.