/ English Dictionary

SQUINCH

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A small arch built across the interior angle of two walls (usually to support a spire)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("squinch" is a kind of...):

arch ((architecture) a masonry construction (usually curved) for spanning an opening and supporting the weight above it)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "squinch"):

trumpet arch (a conical squinch)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cross one's eyes as if in strabismus

Example:

The children squinted so as to scare each other

Synonyms:

squinch; squint

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Hypernyms (to "squinch" is one way to...):

grimace; make a face; pull a face (contort the face to indicate a certain mental or emotional state)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 2

Meaning:

Draw back, as with fear or pain

Example:

she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf

Synonyms:

cringe; flinch; funk; quail; recoil; shrink; squinch; wince

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "squinch" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "squinch"):

retract; shrink back (pull away from a source of disgust or fear)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 3

Meaning:

Crouch down

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "squinch" is one way to...):

bend; bow; crouch; stoop (bend one's back forward from the waist on down)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

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