1. (

• flinch ,
• squinch ,
• funk ,
• cringe ,
• shrink ,
• wince ,
• recoil ,
• quail

) draw back, as with fear or pain; "she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf" ;

2. (

• fawn ,
• crawl ,
• creep ,
• cringe ,
• cower ,
• grovel

) show submission or fear ;

1. (

• cringing ,
• groveling ,
• grovelling ,
• wormlike ,
• wormy

) totally submissive ;