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cringeometer

noun
/kɹɪnˈd͡ʒɒmɪtə/UK/kɹɪnˈd͡ʒɑmɪtɚ/US

Etymology

From cringe + -ometer (suffix forming the names of measuring devices), possibly modelled after odometer, speedometer, etc.

  1. derived from *grenǵʰ-✻ — “to turn”
  2. derived from *kringaną✻
  3. inherited from *krangijaną✻ — “to cause to fall; to cause to turn”
  4. inherited from *crenċan✻
  5. inherited from crengen — “to bend in a haughty manner; to condescend”
  6. formed as cringeometer — “cringe + -ometer”

Definitions

  1. An imaginary device that measures cringeworthiness (the extent to which something makes…

    An imaginary device that measures cringeworthiness (the extent to which something makes one cringe; that is, flinch or recoil with embarrassment).

    • My cringeometer went off the scale as I watched his excruciating performance.
    • How Does Your Dad Rate On The Cringe-O-Meter? [title]
    • But he [Gordon Brown] caused serious damage to the cringeometer in the build-up to the 2010 general election when he attacked the Conservative Party with a football chant: [...]

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for cringeometer. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA