The meaning of Cower

phrasal verb

Make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity

phrasal verb

To move backwards away from something or someone, usually because you are frightened

Usage examples:

She saw that he had a gun and backed away., the government has backed away from plans to increase t…

phrasal verb

To show that you do not support a plan or idea any longer and do not want to be involved with it

Usage examples:

The government has backed away from plans to increase taxes.

verb

Make white or pale by extracting colour.

Usage examples:

The cold light blanched her face

verb

To become pale, esp. from being surprised

Usage examples:

When he realized who was on the phone, he blanched., blanch the peaches before peeling them.

verb

Make a sudden flinching movement out of fear or pain.

Usage examples:

He blenched and struggled to regain his composure

verb

Bend one's head and body in fear or apprehension or in a servile manner.

Usage examples:

He cringed away from the blow

noun

An act of cringing.

Usage examples:

The chuckle turned into a cringe as i swung a little, due to the movement caused by my laughter.

verb

To feel embarrassed and ashamed about something

Usage examples:

I cringed when i realized what i’d said., he cringes every time he hears the dentist’s drill.

verb

Adopt a position where the knees are bent and the upper body is brought forward and down, typically in order to avoid detection or to defend oneself.

Usage examples:

We crouched down in the trench

noun

A crouching stance or posture.

Usage examples:

He dropped into a defensive crouch

verb

The act of bending low with the limbs close to the body

verb

Make a quick, nervous movement as an instinctive reaction to fear, pain, or surprise.

Usage examples:

She flinched at the acidity in his voice

noun

An act of flinching.

Usage examples:

‘don't call me that,’ he said with a flinch

verb

Draw back, as with fear or pain

verb

Lie or crawl abjectly on the ground with one's face downwards.

Usage examples:

He grovelled at george's feet

verb

To lie facing the ground, esp. in fear, or to behave toward someone in a way that shows that you are small and unimportant and the other person is powerful

Usage examples:

My dog grovels at my feet when she’s done something wrong., i’ll apologize, but i won’t grovel just…

noun

A small short-tailed old world game bird resembling a tiny partridge, typically having brown camouflaged plumage.

Usage examples:

Birds such as grouse, crows, quail, partridge, nightjars, cuckoos, shrikes, larks, pipits, merlins,…

verb

Feel or show fear or apprehension.

Usage examples:

She quailed at his heartless words

noun

A small brown bird with a short tail, sometimes hunted as a sport and eaten as a food

verb

(especially of the earth) shake or tremble.

Usage examples:

The rumbling vibrations set the whole valley quaking

noun

An earthquake.

Usage examples:

A big quake east of the rocky mountains

verb

To shake, esp. because you are frightened

Usage examples:

He quaked with fear at the thought.

verb

Suddenly spring or flinch back in fear, horror, or disgust.

Usage examples:

He recoiled in horror

noun

The action of recoiling.

Usage examples:

His body jerked with the recoil of the rifle

verb

To make a sudden movement away from something esp. because of fear or disgust

Usage examples:

Fig. sun-worshipers might recoil in horror at the chilling winds and rough seas, but we loved the p…

verb

(of a structure or area of land) tremble or vibrate.

Usage examples:

Buildings shook in sacramento and tremors were felt in reno

noun

An act of shaking.

Usage examples:

She gave her red curls a shake

verb

Move or cause to move back and forth

verb

Shake slightly and uncontrollably as a result of being cold, frightened, or excited.

Usage examples:

They shivered in the damp foggy cold

noun

A momentary trembling movement.

Usage examples:

She gave a little shiver as the wind flicked at her bare arms

verb

Break into such splinters or fragments.

Usage examples:

The world seemed to shiver into a million splinters of prismatic colour

verb

Become or make smaller in size or amount.

Usage examples:

The workforce shrank to a thousand

noun

A psychiatrist.

Usage examples:

You should see a shrink

verb

To become smaller or cause something to become smaller

Usage examples:

[ i ] the show’s audience has shrunk in the last few months., [ t ] i shrank my sweater by putting …

verb

(of a person) tremble convulsively, typically as a result of fear or revulsion.

Usage examples:

She still shuddered at the thought of him

noun

An act of shuddering.

Usage examples:

The elevator rose with a shudder

verb

(of a person or part of the body) shake involuntarily, typically as a result of anxiety, excitement, or frailty.

Usage examples:

Isobel was trembling with excitement

noun

(of a person, a part of the body, or the voice) shake involuntarily, typically as a result of anxiety, excitement, or frailty.

Usage examples:

Isobel was trembling with excitement