wince
UK: wɪns | US: wɪns
vi. to make a slight involuntary grimace or shrinking movement out of pain or distress
n. a slight grimace or shrinking movement caused by pain or distress
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"Wince" traces back to Old French guenchir ("to turn aside, avoid"), likely of Germanic origin, related to Old High German wankjan ("to stagger"). The modern sense of flinching from pain emerged in Middle English, reflecting a physical recoil akin to "turning away" from discomfort. The word’s brevity and abrupt phonetics mirror the suddenness of the action it describes.
She couldn’t help but wince when the dentist touched her sensitive tooth.
A faint wince crossed his face as he lifted the heavy box.
The loud crash made the cat wince and dart under the sofa.
He tried to hide his wince during the vaccination.
Even the thought of spicy food made her wince in anticipation.