動詞 cower:

1. crouch or curl up
   同義詞：huddle
2. show submission or fear
   同義詞：fawn, crawl, creep, cringe, grovel

1. The fear of intellectuals to be seen as advocates of reason is the final treason of the clerks. To be cowardly under fire is understandable, but to cower when there is a world to be taught(and to learn from) is contemptible.
   害怕知識分子被看作理智的倡導(dǎo)者，這是知識分子對知識和道德價(jià)值的最終貶低。在炮火襲擊下畏縮尚可理解，而面對一個(gè)需要教導(dǎo)(也可從中學(xué)習(xí))的世界卻當(dāng)懦夫則是卑鄙的。
2. He cowered away/back as she raised her hand to hit him.
   她揚(yáng)手打他，他立即退縮開[向後退縮]。
3. The dog cowered (down) under the table.
   那只狗嚇得蜷伏在桌子底下。

cow.er

v.intr.（不及物動詞）
cow.ered,cow.er.ing,cow.ers
To cringe in fear.
畏縮

來源：
Middle English couren
中古英語 couren
[of Scandinavian origin]
[源于斯堪的納維亞語]