Flinch
/flɪntʃ/noun
To make a quick, nervous movement as a reaction to fear or pain.
Did you know?The word 'flinch' is linked to the Old English 'flencan', which means to 'suddenly retreat', often associated with evoking spirits.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*plēg-
“to strike or beat.”
Old English
Old English
flencan
“to make a sudden movement or retreat.”
Middle English
Middle English
flinchen
“to shrink back, recoil.”
Modern English
English
flinch
“to draw back in fear or pain.”