cower

When North Wales Police raided the cannabis farm they found two Albanian men cowering in a corner, both of whom claim to have been trafficked into the country to tend the 1,000 plants inside.

Tony Gribben describes "cowering like a dog", as he was "beaten down" by his abuser at his boarding school.

Comrades from the Mercian Regiment found him cowering under his bed in his full British Army combat gear.

It’s very concerning to see the way the media, in particular, is cowering from their role as defenders of the truth.

That’s not the culture of an organization that, even in its darkest times, cowers to no one and challenges everyone.