to squinch

Examples

• All

• She squinched down behind the couch to hide from the thunder.

• Keevan tried to squinch down so the wing second wouldn't notice him.

  Fiction book (2002)

• He gasped and squinched his eyes.

  Fiction book (1992)

• "Don't hurt me," he said, eyes squinched shut, a pencil line of smoke drifting up from between his lips.

  Fiction book (1997)

• He sat holding the gun, his back straight against the chair, squinching his eyes against the hard light of the bare bulb, pretending to see into the holding cell where Gary Lee Stringer sat on the cot as still as if his hands were still cuffed.

  Fiction book (1998)

• He squinched his body in fear when he heard the loud noise.

Synonyms

F

to flinch

vsto squinch

71 4.1

Move back quickly because of pain, fear or surprise

draw the whole body together often crouching from pain or discomfort

W

to wince

vsto squinch

47 4.9

To make a quick face movement because of pain or dislike

draw the body together in reaction to pain or fear not only facially

S

to shrink

vsto squinch

34 2.3

Move back suddenly because of fear or pain

pull the body together often as a crouch rather than just moving away

R

to recoil

vsto squinch

19 4.9

To move quickly backward because of fear, pain, or disgust

draw the body together in pain or fear rather than from physical impact

C

to cringe

vsto squinch

6 5.1

To pull back quickly because you are afraid or to show you give up

draw the body together mainly because of pain or physical discomfort

Q

to quail

vsto squinch

• Formal

1 8.6

To feel afraid and move back from something

physically draw the body together from pain or discomfort rather than only feeling fear

S

to scrooch

vsto squinch

• UK

9.9

To bend down or squeeze into a small, tight space

draw the body together reflexively from pain or fear rather than to fit

How Withdrawn

to cower

41 6.1

to squinch

• Archaic

1 9.9

to flinch

71 4.1

wince

6 5.3

to remain

∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

Etymology