CRINGING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does cringing mean? 

• CRINGING (adjective)
  The adjective CRINGING has 1 sense:

1. totally submissive

  Familiarity information: CRINGING used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CRINGING (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Totally submissive

Synonyms:

cringing; groveling; grovelling; wormlike; wormy

Similar:

submissive (inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination)

 Context examples 

The unrest of the dogs had been increasing, and they stampeded, in a surge of sudden fear, to the near side of the fire, cringing and crawling about the legs of the men.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

An instant afterwards there appeared a little wizened fellow with a cringing manner and a shambling style of walking.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Turning round we saw a little rat-faced fellow standing in the centre of the circle of yellow light which was thrown by the swinging lamp, while Breckinridge, the salesman, framed in the door of his stall, was shaking his fists fiercely at the cringing figure.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

He was still in the strait-waistcoat and in the padded room, but the suffused look had gone from his face, and his eyes had something of their old pleading—I might almost say, "cringing"—softness.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

There was Baseek, a grizzled old fellow that in his younger days had but to uncover his fangs to send White Fang cringing and crouching to the right about.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

When he saw me, he came over and apologised for his bad conduct, and asked me in a very humble, cringing way to be led back to his own room and to have his note-book again.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Cringing and snivelling himself before the blows or angry speech of a man, he revenged himself, in turn, upon creatures weaker than he.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

He came cringing and crawling into the firelight.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

White Fang crawled slowly, cringing and grovelling in the abjectness of his abasement and submission.

(White Fang, by Jack London)