flinch
nounEtymology
From Middle French flenchir (“to bend”), of Germanic origin. Compare Middle High German lenken (“to bend”). Attested in English since the 16th century.
Definitions
A reflexive jerking away.
- My eye doctor hates the flinch I have every time he tries to get near my eyes.
The slipping of the foot from a ball, when attempting to give a tight croquet.
To make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a (usually negative) stimulus
To make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a (usually negative) stimulus; to cringe; to blench.
- A child, by a constant course of kindness, may be accustomed to bear very rough usage without flinching or complaining.
›+ 3 more definitionsshow fewer
To dodge (a question), to avoid an unpleasant task or duty
To let the foot slip from a ball, when attempting to give a tight croquet.
Alternative form of flense.
The neighborhood
Derived
Vish — recursive loop
A definitional loop anchored at flinch. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.
A definitional loop anchored at flinch. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.
8 hops · closes at flinch
curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.
sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA