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1. Draw back, as with fear or pain
   "she cringed when they showed the slaughtering of the calf";
   - flinch, squinch [N. Amer], funk, shrink, wince, recoil, quail, blench
    
2. Show submission or fear
   - fawn, crawl, cower, grovel

1. Some event or object that causes embarrassment and shame
    
2. A posture or gesture of shrinking or recoiling.

Derived forms: cringing, cringes, cringed

Type of: bend, disgrace, flex, gesture, ignominy, move, shame

Encyclopedia: Cringe