What does cringe mean in British English?

The verb ‘to cringe originally meant ‘to writhe’ or ‘to twist’. It developed from the Old French ‘crincer’, which itself came from the Latin ‘cringere’, meaning ‘to wrinkle’.

What does the word cringe mean in British English?

The word cringe is used to describe a feeling of intense embarrassment. It’s similar to the reaction you get when you catch someone picking their nose at the dinner table – you feel disgusted in them and are embarrassed for them. Cringe is also used to describe how you feel when you stumble or trip. Cringing is a natural reaction to feeling embarrassed, so the word is often used to describe the reaction people have when they are embarrassed on television or in front of a crowd.

What does the term cringe mean in British English?

The word cringe is used to describe a reaction of quickly or subconsciously flinching or shrinking away from an unpleasant or embarrassing situation. To cringe is to move the head and upper body slightly forward and downward with a slight bowing of the upper body, usually combined with a slight shivering.

What do the words cringe and cringe mean in British English?

The word ‘cringe’ is an onomatopoeic word—a word that sounds like the action it refers to. The word is most often used to describe an intense feeling of discomfort or fear, as well as an intense physical reaction, like a flinch or shiver.

What does the word cringing mean in British English?

The expression ‘cringing’ refers to a contraction of the facial muscles, involving the eyebrows, cheeks, forehead and chin. These stimuli cause an unpleasant reaction, usually a deep feeling of embarrassment or shame. The word ‘cringe’ is also used to describe a shivering reaction, as if someone is cold.