FLINCHING

Verb

flinching

present participle of flinch

Noun

flinching (plural flinchings)

A flinching motion; a flinch.

Source: Wiktionary

FLINCH

Flinch, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Flinched; p. pr. & vb. n. Flinching.] Etym: [Prob. fr. OE. flecchen to waver, give way, F. fléchir, 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)

Definition: To let the foot slip from a ball, when attempting to give a tight croquet.

Flinch, n.

Definition: The act of flinching.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition