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Webster 1913 Edition

Flinch

Flinch

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Flinched
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Flinching
.]
[Prob. fr. OE.
flecchen
to waver, give way, F.
fleĢchir
, fr. L.
flectere
to bend; but prob. influenced by E.
blench
. Cf.
Flex
.]
1.
To withdraw from any suffering or undertaking, from pain or danger; to fail in doing or perserving; to show signs of yielding or of suffering; to shrink; to wince;
as, one of the parties
flinched
from the combat
.
A child, by a constant course of kindness, may be accustomed to bear very rough usage without
flinching
or complaining.
Locke.
2.
(Croquet)
To let the foot slip from a ball, when attempting to give a tight croquet.

Flinch

,
Noun.
The act of flinching.

Webster 1828 Edition

Flinch

FLINCH

,
Verb.
I.
[I have not found this word in any other language; but the sense of it occurs in blench, and not improbably it is from the same root, with a different prefix.]
1.
To shrink; to withdraw from any suffering or undertaking, from pain or danger; to fail of proceeding, or of performing any thing. Never flinch from duty. One of the parties flinched from the combat.
A child, by a constant course of kindness, may be accustomed to bear very rough usage without flinching or complaining.
2.
To fail.

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