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wince

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To wince is to make a grimace or twist your face, often involuntary done in anticipation of pain.

(verb)

An example of wince is the face you make just before you get a shot by the doctor.

See wince in Webster's New World College Dictionary

intransitive verb winced, wincing

to shrink or draw back slightly, usually with a grimace, as in pain, embarrassment, alarm, etc.

Origin: ME wynsen < Anglo-Fr var. of OFr guenchir < Frank *wenkjan, akin to OHG wankon, to totter, turn: for IE base see winch

noun

the act or an instance of wincing

Related Forms:

wincer noun

noun

a roller used between dyeing vats to facilitate the transfer of pieces of cloth

Origin: var. of winch

See wince in American Heritage Dictionary 4

intransitive verb winced winced, winc·ing, winc·es

To shrink or start involuntarily, as in pain or distress; flinch.

noun

A shrinking or startled movement or gesture.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English wincen, to kick

Origin: , from Old North French *wencier

Origin: , variant of Old French guencir

Origin: , of Germanic origin

Related Forms:

wincˈer noun

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