cower

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“
I would cover my head with the bedclothes and cower, and see the

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Definitions (6)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. intransitive verb To cringe in fear.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (1)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

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Examples (50)

  • Around him Feegles started to wail and cower, and Big Yan began to bang his head on the rear wall of the dairy. —  Wintersmith
  • Tess pretended to cower, even as she finished off her last fry. —  Lippman, Laura - [Tess Monaghan 02] - Charm City
  • From the boy's puzzled expression Brodick surmised he didn't know what the word "cower" meant, but he must have guessed it wasn't good because he immediately stepped out to stand next to his uncle. —  Garwood, Julie - Ransom
  • Rather than flail and cower, a McCain / Romney ticket would look sure-footed and confident, projecting gravitas in a time of uncertainty. —  WordPress.com News
  • To crouch, cower or bow down to this implacable lord of the polar world is the only way to evade his wrath when he rides abroad, and woe to the man who thinks otherwise Not long had the wind and snow been blowing when the little train prepared to move. —  A Woman who went to Alaska
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This word has been looked up 156 times.

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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English couren, of Scandinavian origin.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from Middle English couren, from Icelandic kūra = Swedish kura = Danish kure, lie quiet, rest, doze; prob. related to Icelandic kyrr, older form kvirr, quiet, = Swedish quar, remaining, = Danish kvær, silent, quiet, = Goth, kwairrus, gentle, = Middle High German kürre, German kirre, tame. G. kauern, squat in a cage, is from kaue, a cage (see cave, cage). W. cwrian, cower, is prob. from the English
 

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/ˈkaʊər/
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