Flinch vs Falter - What's the difference?
flinch | falter |
A reflexive jerking away.
To make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a (usually negative) stimulus.
* John Locke
To dodge (a question), to avoid an unpleasant task or duty
To let the foot slip from a ball, when attempting to give a tight croquet.
unsteadiness.
To waver or be unsteady.
* Wiseman
(ambitransitive) To stammer; to utter with hesitation, or in a weak and trembling manner.
* Byron
* Milton
To fail in distinctness or regularity of exercise; said of the mind or of thought.
* I. Taylor
To stumble.
(figuratively) To lose faith or vigor; to doubt or abandon (a cause).
*
To hesitate in purpose or action.
* Shakespeare
To cleanse or sift, as barley.
As nouns the difference between flinch and falter
is that flinch is a reflexive jerking away while falter is unsteadiness.As verbs the difference between flinch and falter
is that flinch is to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a (usually negative) stimulus while falter is to waver or be unsteady.flinch
English
Noun
(es)- My eye doctor hates the flinch I have every time he tries to get near my eyes.
Verb
- A child, by a constant course of kindness, may be accustomed to bear very rough usage without flinching or complaining.
References
falter
English
Noun
(-)Verb
(en verb)- He found his legs falter .
- And here he faltered forth his last farewell.
- With faltering speech and visage incomposed.
- Here indeed the power of disinct conception of space and distance falters .
- And remember, comrades, your resolution must never falter .
- Ere her native king / Shall falter under foul rebellion's arms.
- (Halliwell)