From Middle French flenchir (“to bend”), from Old French flenchir, flanchir, from Frankish *hlankijan, from Proto-Germanic *hlankijaną (“to bend, twist, flex”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleng- (“to bend, turn, wind”). Cognate with Old High German hlenken, whence Middle High German lenken (“to bend”), Modern German lenken (“to cause to veer or turn aside, steer”). Attested in English since the 16th century.
Meanings
A reflexive jerking away.
My eye doctor hates the flinch I have every time he tries to get near my eyes.
(qualifier:croquet) The slipping of the foot from a ball, when attempting to give a tight croquet.
From Middle French flenchir (“to bend”), from Old French flenchir, flanchir, from Frankish *hlankijan, from Proto-Germanic *hlankijaną (“to bend, twist, flex”), from Proto-Indo-European *kleng- (“to bend, turn, wind”). Cognate with Old High German hlenken, whence Middle High German lenken (“to bend”), Modern German lenken (“to cause to veer or turn aside, steer”). Attested in English since the 16th century.
Meanings
(intransitive) To make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a (usually negative) stimulus; to cringe; to blench.
A child, by a constant course of kindness, may be accustomed to bear very rough usage without flinching or complaining. 1693, [John Locke], “(please specify the section number)”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC:
To dodge (a question), to avoid an unpleasant task or duty
(qualifier:croquet) To let the foot slip from a ball, when attempting to give a tight croquet.
mi kōrapa (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · sk vyhnúť sa (to avoid doing something momentarily) · sh cimnuti (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · es enarcarse (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · de zusammenzucken (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · mi maopo (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ru отпря́нуть (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ga loic (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · sh trznuti (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ga cúlaigh (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · gl arrepiarse (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · sl trzniti (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · gl arreguizarse (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · de sich entziehen (to avoid doing something momentarily) · de zurückzucken (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · gl estremecerse (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ja 怯む (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ru содрогну́ться (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · mi wīwī (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · pt estremecer (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · sk myknúť sa (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · fi säpsähtää (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · pl wzdrygnąć się (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ru отдёргивать (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · es inmutarse (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · mi koemi (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · cs trhnout sebou (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · sh lecnuti (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · de zurückschrecken (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · cs couvnout (to avoid doing something momentarily) · ota پوصمق (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · az irkilmək (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · bg дръпвам се (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · de zusammenfahren (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · cs ucuknout (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · es rehuir de (to avoid doing something momentarily) · sv rycka till (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · grc ἀναπηδῶ (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · de zucken (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · nl terugdeinzen (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · es no arrostrar (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ru вздра́гивать (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ru отдёрнуть (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · de zurückweichen (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · cs vyhnout se (to avoid doing something momentarily) · it sussultare (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · enm schrynken (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ru отдёргиваться (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · uk здригну́тися (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · fi kavahtaa (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · az ürkmək (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · es reaccionar (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ru вздро́гнуть (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · el αναπηδώ (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · es achicarse (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · de wanken (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · fr sursauter (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · eo eksalti (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · az hürkmək (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · es encogerse (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · es estremecerse (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · bg трепвам (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ru увильнуть (to avoid doing something momentarily) · sk cuknúť sa (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · fr broncher (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ga creathnaigh (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · mi toemi (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ru отдёрнуться (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · ru содрога́ться (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · sk trhnúť sa (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · pl wzdrygać się (to make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a stimulus) · cs ucuknout (to avoid doing something momentarily) · mi kōrapa (to avoid doing something momentarily)