different between flinch vs tremble

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fl?nt?/
• Rhymes: -?nt?

Etymology 1

From Middle French flenchir (“to bend”), of Germanic origin. Compare Middle High German lenken (“to bend”). Attested in English since the 16th century.

Noun

flinch (plural flinches)

1. A reflexive jerking away.

   My eye doctor hates the flinch I have every time he tries to get near my eyes.

2. (croquet) The slipping of the foot from a ball, when attempting to give a tight croquet.

Translations

See also

• (reflexive jerking away): cringe

Verb

flinch (third-person singular simple present flinches, present participle flinching, simple past and past participle flinched)

1. (intransitive) To make a sudden, involuntary movement in response to a (usually negative) stimulus; to cringe.
   • 1693 John Locke, Some Thoughts Concerning Education:

     A child, by a constant course of kindness, may be accustomed to bear very rough usage without flinching or complaining.

2. To dodge (a question), to avoid an unpleasant task or duty
3. (croquet) To let the foot slip from a ball, when attempting to give a tight croquet.

Translations

References

• “flinch” in the Collins English Dictionary
• “flinch”, in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary, (Please provide a date or year).

Etymology 2

Verb

flinch (third-person singular simple present flinches, present participle flinching, simple past and past participle flinched)

1. Alternative form of flense

References

• “flinch” in the Collins English Dictionary

English

Etymology

From Middle English tremblen, from Old French trambler and its variants, from Vulgar Latin tremul?, a derivative of Classical Latin trem?; cf. also tremulus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?t??mbl?/
• Hyphenation: trem?ble

Verb

tremble (third-person singular simple present trembles, present participle trembling, simple past and past participle trembled)

1. (intransitive) To shake, quiver, or vibrate.

2. (intransitive, figuratively) To fear; to be afraid.

Translations

Noun

tremble (plural trembles)

1. A shake, quiver, or vibration.

Translations

Related terms

• tremor
• tremulous
• tremblor

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t???bl/

Noun

tremble m (plural trembles)

1. aspen

Verb

tremble

1. first-person singular present indicative of trembler
2. third-person singular present indicative of trembler
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of trembler
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of trembler
5. second-person singular imperative of trembler

Further reading

• “tremble” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).