wince

Noun

1. A sudden movement or gesture of shrinking away.
2. A reel used in dyeing, steeping, or washing cloth; a winch. It is placed over the division wall between two wince pits so as to allow the cloth to descend into either compartment at will.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To flinch as if in pain or distress.
2. (transitive) To wash (cloth), dip it in dye, etc., with the use of a wince.
3. To kick or flounce when unsteady or impatient.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/wɪns/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: wyncen

Cognate with Old French: guenchir

Cognate with German: winken

In summary

From Middle English wyncen, from Anglo-Norman winchir (compare Old French guenchir), from Frankish *wankjan, related to *winkijan (“to flex, bend”). See also German winken.

Synonyms

flinch

recoil

quiver

shrink

start

cringe

shiver

give a start

quail

waver

startle

shudder

twitch

funk

grimace

tremble

cower

squinch

jerk

jump

falter

blink the eye

blink

boggle

disconcerted

flutter

hesitate

quivering

stir

succumbing to

thrill

make a wry face

tremor

vibration

shrink back

being frightened

balk

Translations

zusammenzucken

mueca de dolor

bibberen

tressaillir

zurückschrecken

trillen

gruseln

flakkeren

lillen

zucken

tressaillement

frissonner

grimace

se contracter

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