shrink away

shrink away

English

Etymology

shrink + away

Verb

shrink away (third-person singular simple present shrinks away, present participle shrinking away, simple past shrank away or shrunk away, past participle shrunk away or shrunken away)

1. to draw back in fear; cringe, back down, shy away
   • 1912, Stratemeyer Syndicate, Baseball Joe on the School Nine Chapter 1

     But Tommy was bashful, and the attention he had thus drawn upon himself made him blush. He was a timid lad and he shrank away now, evidently fearing Shell.