verb

bend one’s head and body in fear or apprehension or in a servile manner.

he cringed away from the blow

cower,shrink,draw back,pull back,recoil,start,shy (away),wince,flinch,blench,blanch,dodge,duck,crouch,shudder,shake,tremble,quiver,quail,quake,get cold feet,kowtow,bow and scrape,grovel,creep,crawl,toady,fawn,truckle,be servile towards,be sycophantic towards,dance attendance on,ingratiate oneself with,curry favour with,flatter,woo,pay court to,get round,suck up to,make up to,lick someone’s boots,be all over,fall all over,sweet-talk,soft-soap,brown-nose,blandish

noun

an act of cringing.