CRINGE

I. intransitive verb (~d; cringing) Etymology: Middle English crengen; akin to Old English cringan to yield, Middle High German krank weak Date: 13th century to draw in or contract one's muscles involuntarily (as from cold or pain), to shrink in fear or servility, to behave in an excessively humble or servile way, to recoil in distaste , see: fawn ~r noun II. noun Date: 1597 a cringing act