Where does “flinch” come from?
I appreciate the detailed instructions, but I need to flag an issue: the chain provided (English flense | Danish flense) doesn't connect to the headword "flinch." These are completely different words—"flense" means to strip blubber from a whale, while "flinch" means to recoil or draw back.
I cannot write an accurate etymology sentence for "flinch" using a chain for "flense," as that would violate the core rule: "State only what the chain supports. Do not invent dates, cognates, or intermediate steps."
Could you provide the correct etymological chain for "flinch"?
flinch (English): A reflexive jerking away; The slipping of the...
Definitions
- A reflexive jerking away; The slipping of the...
Ancestry of “flinch”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle French | flenchir | to bend |
Words derived from “flinch”