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Cringe vs Cling - What's the difference?

cringe | cling |

As nouns the difference between cringe and cling

is that cringe is a posture or gesture of shrinking or recoiling while cling is fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit.

As verbs the difference between cringe and cling

is that cringe is to bow or crouch in servility while cling is (hold tightly)To hold very tightly, as to not fall off.

cringe

English

Alternative forms

* (dialectal)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A posture or gesture of shrinking or recoiling.
    • He glanced with a cringe at the mess on his desk.
  • (dialect) A crick.

    • Verb

  • (dated) To bow or crouch in servility.
  • * Milton
    • Sly hypocrite, who more than thou / Once fawned and cringed , and servilely adored / Heaven's awful monarch?
  • * 1903 , ,
    • He heard the hateful clank of their chains; he felt them cringe and grovel, and there rose within him a protest and a prophecy.
  • * 1904 , ,
    • Leclere was bent on the coming of the day when Batard should wilt in spirit and cringe and whimper at his feet.
  • To shrink, tense or recoil, as in fear, disgust or embarrassment.
    • He cringed as the bird collided with the window.
  • * Bunyan
    • When they were come up to the place where the lions were, the boys that went before were glad to cringe behind, for they were afraid of the lions.
  • * 1917 , ,
    • But he made no whimper. Nor did he wince or cringe to the blows. He bored straight in, striving, without avoiding a blow, to beat and meet the blow with his teeth.
  • (obsolete) To contract; to draw together; to cause to shrink or wrinkle; to distort.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Till like a boy you see him cringe his face, / And whine aloud for mercy.

    Derived terms

    * cringeworthy

    See also

    * crouch * wince

    Anagrams

    *

    cling

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Fruit (especially peach) whose flesh adheres strongly to the pit.
  • * 1908 , , Hostages to Momus :
    • Antelope steaks and fried liver to begin on, and venison cutlets with chili con carne and pineapple fritters, and then some sardines and mixed pickles; and top it off with a can of yellow clings and a bottle of beer.
  • adherence; attachment; devotion
  • * Milton
    • A more tenacious cling to worldly respects.

    Verb

  • (senseid)To hold very tightly, as to not fall off.
    • Seaweed clung to the anchor.
  • * Mrs. Hemans
    • And what hath life for thee / That thou shouldst cling to it thus?
  • To adhere to an object, without being affixed, in such a way as to follow its contours. Used especially of fabrics and films.
  • To cause to adhere to, especially by twining round or embracing.
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • I clung legs as close to his side as I could.
  • To cause to dry up or wither.
  • * Shakespeare
    • If thou speak'st false, / Upon the next tree shalt thou hang alive, / Till famine cling thee.
  • (figurative, with preposition to) to be fond of, to feel strongly about

    • Derived terms

    * cling film / clingfilm

    References

    * * * Notes: English irregular verbs