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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Squinch

Squinch \Squinch\ (skw[i^]nch), n. [Corrupted fr. sconce.] (Arch.) A small arch thrown across the corner of a square room to support a superimposed mass, as where an octagonal spire or drum rests upon a square tower; -- called also sconce, and sconcheon.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
squinch

1840 (transitive), of faces; intransitive use from 1843. Perhaps related to squinch "narrow opening in a building" (c.1600). Also compare squink-eyed (1630s), variant of squint-eyed, so perhaps it is at least partly an altered form of squint. Related: Squinched; squinching.

Wiktionary
squinch

n. (context architecture English) A structure constructed between two adjacent walls to aid in the transition from a polygonal to a circular structure; as when a dome is constructed on top of a square room. vb. to scrunch up (one's face)

WordNet
squinch
  1. n. a small arch built across the interior angle of two walls (usually to support a spire)

  2. v. crouch down

  3. draw back, as with fear or pain; "she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf" [syn: flinch, funk, cringe, shrink, wince, recoil, quail]

  4. partly close one's eyes; "The children squinted to frighten each other" [syn: squint, cross one's eyes]

Wikipedia
Squinch

A squinch in architecture is a construction filling in the upper angles of a square room so as to form a base to receive an octagonal or spherical dome. Another solution of this structural problem was provided by the pendentive.

Usage examples of "squinch".

Distraction was the only answer, he thought as he saw her squinch up her eyes and try to read what was written on the screen of his laptop.

Her face still hurt, but she could actually open and shut her eye and squinch up her cheek without much pain.

What there was was just this tall skinny plate-glass window along the wall, right near the exit, and when I squinched up my eyeballs with my fingers I could see a fellow standing there, bold as brass!

Out on the dance floor, shuffling his arms like the pistons of a steam train, his face squinching up in delight, he lip-synched the words.