cringe
/'krindʤ/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To shrink back or bend down in fear, submission, or disgust: To physically recoil or draw away from something perceived as frightening, threatening, or unpleasant.
- To feel embarrassed or uncomfortable on behalf of someone else: To experience a sudden inward feeling of acute embarrassment or awkwardness caused by the actions of another person.
Usage
- As a verb (intransitive): The word "cringe" describes an involuntary physical or emotional reaction. It is often followed by words like "at," "away from," or "in."
- He cringed at the sound of nails on a chalkboard. (He physically recoiled due to the unpleasant sound.)
- I cringe whenever I remember my awkward teenage years. (I feel intense embarrassment when I recall my past.)
- The dog cringed away from its angry owner. (The dog shrank back in fear.)
Advanced Usage
- "To make someone cringe": To cause someone to feel secondhand embarrassment or discomfort.
- His attempt at flirting was so awkward it made everyone cringe.
- As a descriptive noun (informal): Something that causes a cringing reaction.
- That video is a total cringe. (That video is deeply embarrassing to watch.)
Variants and Related Words
- Cringeworthy (adj): Describing something likely to cause a cringing reaction.
- The speech was full of cringeworthy jokes.
- Cringey (adj): An informal variant of "cringeworthy."
- His dance moves were so cringey.
Synonyms
- Flinch: To make a quick, nervous movement as an instinctive reaction to fear or pain.
- Recoil: To suddenly spring or flinch back in fear, horror, or disgust.
- Shrink: To draw back, as in retreat or avoidance.
- Wince: To give a slight involuntary grimace or shrinking movement of the body out of pain or distress.
Related Phrasal Verbs / Constructions
- Cringe at: To react with a cringe because of something specific.
- She cringed at the thought of giving a public speech.
- Cringe away from: To physically draw back from something.
- The child cringed away from the stranger.
Related Idioms
- To be a cringe-fest (informal): An event or situation characterized by many cringeworthy moments.
- The office party was a complete cringe-fest.
Verb
- show submission or fear
- draw back, as with fear or pain
- she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf