1. (v. t.) To draw one's self together as in fear or servility; to bend or crouch with base humility; to wince; hence; to make court in a degrading manner; to fawn.

2. (v. t.) To contract; to draw together; to cause to shrink or wrinkle; to distort.

3. (n.) Servile civility; fawning; a shrinking or bowing, as in fear or servility.

apple-polish avoid bend bend the knee bend the neck bend to blench blink bootlick bow bow and scrape bow down bow to brown-nose cower crawl creep cringe to croodle crouch crouch before curtsy defer do homage do obeisance dodge draw back draw in duck eat dirt evade fade fall back fawn flatter flinch funk genuflect get down grovel hang back hunch hunch down jib kneel kneel to knuckle to kowtow lick the dust lickspittle pull back pull in pull out quail quiver recoil reel back retract retreat scrouch down sheer off shrink shrink back shy sidestep skulk slaver slink sneak squat start aside start back stoop swerve toadeat toady tremble truckle truckle to turn aside wallow weasel weasel out welter wince withdraw