intransitive verb. : to shrink away or crouch especially for shelter from something that menaces, domineers, or dismays They all cowered silently in their places, seeming to know in advance that some terrible thing was about to happen.— George Orwell.

Does cower mean cringe?

To cringe in fear. To crouch or cringe in fear. ... To cower is defined as to duck down, crouch or hide in fear.

Does cower mean cowardly?

“Cowered” is just the past tense of “cower” and should not be used as a spelling for the label given to a timid person. “It's always “a coward” and “the coward.” “Cowered” is also occasionally used improperly when “cowed”—meaning “intimidated”—is meant. It is not related etymologically to either “coward” or “cowered.”