Cower
/ˈkaʊ.ər/noun
To crouch down in fear or apprehension.
Did you know?The word 'cower' is linked to an ancient notion of hiding from the wrath of gods, evoking a primal response to the unknown.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*kūwōną
“to bend or to bow down, as in submission.”
Old English
OE
cūwian
“to cower, to crouch in fear.”
Middle English
ME
coweren
“to crouch down in fear or submission.”
Modern English
English
cower
“to shrink away in fear or apprehension.”