squinch
pronunciation
How to pronounce squinch in British English:
UK [skwɪntʃ]
How to pronounce squinch in American English:
US [skwɪntʃ]
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- Noun:
- a small arch built across the interior angle of two walls (usually to support a spire)
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- Verb:
- crouch down
- draw back, as with fear or pain
- partly close one's eyes
Word Origin
- squinch (v.)
- 1840 (transitive), of faces; intransitive use from 1843. Perhaps related to squinch "narrow opening in a building" (c. 1600). Also compare squink-eyed (1630s), variant of squint-eyed, so perhaps it is at least partly an altered form of squint. Related: Squinched; squinching.