flinch

¹ American  

[flinch] / flɪntʃ /

verb (used without object)

1. to draw back or shrink, as from what is dangerous, difficult, or unpleasant.

   Synonyms:

   blench, withdraw, recoil

2. to shrink under pain; wince.

3. Croquet. to let the foot slip from the ball in the act of croqueting.

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verb (used with object)

1. to draw back or withdraw from.

noun

1. an act of flinching.

flinch ² American  

[flinch] / flɪntʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. flense.

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flinch ¹ British  

/ flɪntʃ /

verb

1. to draw back suddenly, as from pain, shock, etc; wince

   he flinched as the cold water struck him

2. (often foll by from) to avoid contact (with); shy away

   he never flinched from his duty

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noun

1. the act or an instance of drawing back

2. a card game in which players build sequences

flinch ² British  

/ flɪntʃ /

verb

1. a variant of flense

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Other Word Forms

• flincher noun
• flinchingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of flinch

First recorded in 1555–65; perhaps nasalized variant of dial. flitch to flit, shift one's position

Example Sentences

"We will follow the evidence wherever it leads. We will not flinch from uncomfortable truths."

From BBC

He flinches, tries to hide the pocket-sized earthquake that shakes down his spine.

From Literature

She flinched, as if she’d just slapped herself with those words, then bounded off, heaving herself ungracefully over the garden fence.

From Literature

"I feel like some are still carrying on despite everything, like me. I was in the salon when a loud explosion went off, and no-one even flinched," she says.

From BBC

One Saturday afternoon, I told Ma that I had to go to the library to work on a school report, a lie that didn’t even make me flinch.

From Literature

Related Words

• balk
• blanch
• blink
• cower
• cringe
• recoil