wince 1
— wincer , n. — wincingly , adv. — wincingness , n.
/wins/ , v. , winced, wincing , n.
v.i.
1. to draw back or tense the body, as from pain or from a blow; start; flinch.
n.
2. a wincing or shrinking movement; a slight start.
[ 1250-1300; ME winsen, var. of winchen, wenchen to kick wenc ( h ) ier; OF guenc ( h ) ier 1 ]
Syn. 1. blench, quail. WINCE, RECOIL, SHRINK, QUAIL all mean to draw back from what is dangerous, fearsome, difficult, threatening, or unpleasant. WINCE suggests an involuntary contraction of the facial features triggered by pain, embarrassment, or a sense of revulsion: to wince as a needle pierces the skin; to wince at coarse language. RECOIL denotes a physical movement away from something disgusting or shocking or a similar psychological shutting out or avoidance: to recoil from contact with a slimy surface; to recoil at the squalor and misery of the slum.
SHRINK may imply a fastidious or scrupulous avoidance of the distasteful or it may suggest cowardly withdrawal from what is feared: to shrink from confessing a crime; to shrink from going into battle. QUAIL suggests a loss of heart or courage in the face of danger or difficulty; it sometimes suggests trembling or other manifestations of physical disturbance: to quail before an angry mob.
wince 2
/wins/ , n.
winch 1 (def. 4).