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4 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
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]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
shrink
n : a physician who specializes in psychiatry [syn: {psychiatrist},
{head-shrinker}]
v 1: wither, especially with a loss of moisture; "The fruit dried
and shriveled" [syn: {shrivel}, {shrivel up}, {wither}]
2: draw back, as with fear or pain; "she flinched when they
showed the slaughtering of the calf" [syn: {flinch}, {squinch},
{funk}, {cringe}, {wince}, {recoil}, {quail}]
3: reduce in size; reduce physically; "Hot water will shrink
the sweater"; "Can you shrink this image?" [syn: {reduce}]
4: become smaller or draw together; "The fabric shrank"; "The
balloon shrank" [syn: {contract}] [ant: {expand}, {stretch}]
5: decrease in size, range, or extent; "His earnings shrank";
"My courage shrivelled when I saw the task before me"
[syn: {shrivel}]
[also: {shrunken}, {shrunk}, {shrank}]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
shrunk
adj : reduced in size by being drawn together; "the shrunken dress
was entirely too tight to wear" [syn: {shrunken}]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
shrunk
See {shrink}
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