Made a sudden, quick movement backward as a reaction to pain, fear, or surprise; withdrew involuntarily.
From Old French 'flenchir' (to bend). The term suggests a sharp, defensive reflex response to something unexpected or unpleasant.
Neuroscience proves that you can't control flinching—it happens before conscious awareness reaches your brain, which is why some soldiers flinch at fireworks years later; their nervous system literally remembers trauma better than their mind does.
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