cower

Related to cower: neutralizing

cower (away) from (someone or something)

To move away from someone or something, usually out of fear. I cowered from the snake and prayed that it wouldn't see me.
See also: cower

cower down

To crouch or otherwise make oneself smaller, usually out of fear. When I heard that loud bang, I immediately cowered down behind the door.
See also: cower, down

cower down with (some emotion)

To crouch or otherwise make oneself smaller while feeling or exhibiting a particular emotion. When I heard that loud bang, I immediately got behind the door and cowered down with fear.
See also: cower, down
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

cower (away) from someone or something

to pull away from someone or something in fear. The coyote cowered away from the fire.
See also: cower

cower down (from something)

 and cower down (with something)
to crouch down, displaying an emotion, such as fear. They cowered down with sheer terror. I would cower down from fright in a similar situation.
See also: cower, down

cower from something

to drawback from the fear of something. The wolves cowered from the flames. Some excited hyenas cowered from the lions as they passed by.
See also: cower
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • cower from
  • cower (away) from (someone or something)
  • cringe
  • cringe away from
  • cringe away from (someone or something)
  • cower down
  • fear
  • quail before
  • quail before (someone or something)
  • cringe from (someone or something)
References in periodicals archive
Offer price pounds 8.98) These dwarf Iris will cower in late winter to early spring producing large cowers on dwarf stems.
SIX FREE CLEMATICS for every reader
But what lingers in the memory is Prince Edward's look of anger and the sheer terror of those dogs as they cower before his stick.
NO ROYAL PARDON
TERRIFIED workers cowered behind the doors of a Wal-Mart store as a 2000-strong crowd of "savages" bayed to be let in.
TRAMPLED TO DEATH BY CRAZED SHOPPERS; Sales 'savages' kill worker MOB DEFY ORDERS TO LEAVE AS VICTIM LIES DYING WAL*MART
Downing Street insisted the timetable covering climate change and Africa would go ahead as planned - and that the G8 would not cower in the face of terrorism.
THE DAY WE KNEW WOULD COME: Blair vow to keep the talks on track
Dramatic video footage shows the moment customers cowered inside the Tesco Metro store in Portobello Road in Notting Hill, west London.
Bare-chested man smashes Tesco window with bicycle leaving shoppers terrified; Dramatic video footage shows customers cowering inside the Tesco Metro store in Portobello Road in Notting Hill, west London
I honestly could have cowered myself but boosted by alcohol I bravely attacked the monster with a toilet brush.
No wonder cockroaches will survive end of world! Get in touch - tell us what you think Email: letters@birminghammail.co.uk Twitter: @birminghammail Facebook: facebook.com/birminghammail Post: Birmingham Mail, 60 Church Street, Birmingham B3 2DJ
He said that such cowered activities could not shake the confidence of the nation.
Buzdar condemns Quetta mosque blast
Why had the people who cowered in shop doorways not scurried like rabbits?
Brummies no rabbits running from Hitler! LETTERS Email: sundaymercury@sundaymercury.net
A man who grows in numbers but on his own and when confronted in a similar situation, cowers away.
CONOR RELIEF OVER 'COWARD' KHABIB
Cairo / NINA /--The chairman of the Arab Parliament Ahmed Al Jarwan described the recent bombings in different areas of Iraq as terrorist acts of cowered despicable atrocity stressing that "attacks that target innocent a peaceful civilians is an act that can not be approved or justified by any legislation.
Chairman of the Arab Parliament strongly denounces targeting of innocent people in Iraq
A LITTLE girl cowered in her bedroom as men broke into her home, a court heard.
Child's burglary fear; Little girl hid under bed covers in terror
Robert Brown, 47, bludgeoned millionairess Joanna to death with a claw hammer in their family home as their two young children cowered in the playroom.
Pilot jailed for 26 years for killing wife; UKBULLETINS
The youth told officers he cowered behind shop shelves as the little girl and another bystander were caught in the crossfire of a suspected botched turf war attack inside a shop.
Shop gang shooting target arrested
Adult Winner TO US A BOY IS BORN On his mother's knee he cowers, Escaping civil war.
Poetry winners
"The female customer cowers in the shop and tries her best to make herself as invisible as possible.
Customer cowered in shop as son of postmaster was shot