cringe
/krɪndʒ; krɪndʒ/ v
1 [I, Ipr] ~ (at/from sth) move back or lower one's body in fear; cower （因恐惧而）退缩, 蜷缩; 畏缩
a child cringing in terror 吓得直退缩的孩子
The dog cringed at the sight of the whip. 那只狗见到鞭子就退缩了.
(fig 比喻) I cringe with embarrassment (ie feel very embarrassed) when I reread those first stories I wrote. 我重读了我初期编写的故事, 感到十分难为情.
2 [I, Ipr] ~ (to/before sb) (derog 贬) behave too humbly towards sb who is more powerful 卑躬屈膝
She's always cringing to the boss. 她在上司面前总是卑躬屈膝.