CRINGING

cringing, groveling, grovelling, wormlike, wormy

(adjective) totally submissive

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Verb

cringing

present participle of cringe

Noun

cringing (plural cringings)

Act of one who cringes.

the servile bowings and cringings of courtiers

Source: Wiktionary

CRINGE

Cringe (krnj), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Crnged (krnjd); p. pr. & vb. n. Cringing.] Etym: [As. crincgang, cringan, crincan, to jield, fall; akin to E. crank.]

Definition: To draw one's self together as in fear or servility; to bend or crouch with base humility; to wince; hence; to make court in a degrading manner; to fawn. When they were come up to the place where the lions were, the boys that went before were glad to cringe behind, for they were afraid of the lions. Bunyan. Sly hypocrite, . . . who more than thou Once fawned and cringed, and servilely adored Heaven's awful monarch Milton. Flatterers . . . are always bowing and cringing. Arbuthnot.

Cringe, v. t.

Definition: To contract; to draw together; to cause to shrink or wrinkle; to distort. [Obs.] Till like a boy you see him cringe his face, And whine aloud for mercy. Shak.

Cringe, n.

Definition: Servile civility; fawning; a shrinking or bowing, as in fear or servility. "With cringe and shrug, and bow obsequious." Cowper.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition