WordWeb Online

1. Totally submissive
   "If the dominant bird follows, the cringing bird slinks about";
   - groveling [US], grovelling [Brit, Cdn], wormlike, wormy

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

See also: submissive

Type of: bend, flex, move

Encyclopedia: Cringe