Shrink

Shrink
Shrink Shrink, v. i. [imp. {Shrank}or {Shrunk}p. p. {Shrunk} or {Shrunken}, but the latter is now seldom used except as a participial adjective; p. pr. & vb. n. {Shrinking}.] [OE. shrinken, schrinken, AS. scrincan; akin to OD. schrincken, and probably to Sw. skrynka a wrinkle, skrynkla to wrinkle, to rumple, and E. shrimp, n. & v., scrimp. CF. {Shrimp}.] 1. To wrinkle, bend, or curl; to shrivel; hence, to contract into a less extent or compass; to gather together; to become compacted. [1913 Webster]

And on a broken reed he still did stay His feeble steps, which shrunk when hard thereon he lay. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

Against this fire do I shrink up. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

And shrink like parchment in consuming fire. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]

All the boards did shrink. --Coleridge. [1913 Webster]

2. To withdraw or retire, as from danger; to decline action from fear; to recoil, as in fear, horror, or distress. [1913 Webster]

What happier natures shrink at with affright, The hard inhabitant contends is right. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task. --Jowett (Thucyd.) [1913 Webster]

3. To express fear, horror, or pain by contracting the body, or part of it; to shudder; to quake. [R.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • shrink — [ʆrɪŋk] verb shrank PASTTENSE [ʆræŋk] shrunk PASTPART [ʆrʌŋk] 1. [intransitive] to become smaller in amount, size, or value: • The economy is expected to shrink slightly. • In the past decade, the number of employees h …   Financial and business terms

  • Shrink — can refer to:* Shrink , a slang term for a mental health professional such as a psychiatrist or psychologist (derived from the word headshrinker ) *Shrinkage (accounting), a retail term for the money lost by undercharged, damaged, or stolen goods …   Wikipedia

  • Shrink — Shrink, v. t. 1. To cause to contract or shrink; as, to shrink finnel by imersing it in boiling water. [1913 Webster] 2. To draw back; to withdraw. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] The Libyc Hammon shrinks his horn. Milton. [1913 Webster] {To shrink on}… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shrink — [shriŋk] vi. shrank or shrunk, shrunk or shrunken, shrinking [ME schrynken < OE scrincan, akin to Swed skrynka, to wrinkle < IE * (s)kreng < base * (s)ker , to bend, turn > SHRIMP, Gr kirkos, a ring, L curvus, curved] 1. to become or… …   English World dictionary

  • Shrink — Shrink, n. 1. The act shrinking; shrinkage; contraction; also, recoil; withdrawal. [1913 Webster] Yet almost wish, with sudden shrink, That I had less to praise. Leigh Hunt. [1913 Webster] 2. [Contraction of head shrinker, a colloquial term for… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shrink — O.E. scrincan (class III strong verb; past tense scranc, pp. scruncen), from P.Gmc. *skrenkanan (Cf. M.Du. schrinken), probably from PIE root * (s)ker to turn, bend. Originally with causal shrench (Cf. drink/drench). The meaning draw back, recoil …   Etymology dictionary

  • shrink — [v1] become smaller compress, concentrate, condense, constrict, contract, decrease, deflate, diminish, drop off, dwindle, fail, fall off, fall short, grow smaller, lessen, narrow, reduce, shorten, shrivel, wane, waste, waste away, weaken, wither …   New thesaurus

  • shrink — ► VERB (past shrank; past part. shrunk or (especially as adj. ) shrunken) 1) become or make smaller in size or amount; contract. 2) (of clothes or material) become smaller as a result of being immersed in water. 3) move back or away in fear or… …   English terms dictionary

  • shrink — index abridge (shorten), commute, condense, constrict (compress), decrease, deduct (reduce) …   Law dictionary

  • shrink — shriŋk n a clinical psychiatrist or psychologist called also headshrinker …   Medical dictionary

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