English Dictionary

Definition of “shrink

shrink (ʃrɪŋkPronunciation for shrink

Definitions

verb

Word forms: shrinks, shrinking, shrank, shrunk, shrunk, shrunken
  1. to contract or cause to contract as from wetness, heat, cold, etc
  2. to become or cause to become smaller in size
  3. (intr)  often foll by from 
    1. to recoil or withdraw  ⇒ to shrink from the sight of blood 
    2. to feel great reluctance (at)  ⇒ to shrink from killing an animal 

noun

  1. the act or an instance of shrinking
  2. slang a psychiatrist

Alternative Forms

ˈshrinkable adjective ˈshrinker noun ˈshrinking adjective ˈshrinkingly adverb

Word Origin

Old English scrincan;  related to Old Norse skrokkr  torso, Old Swedish skrunkin  wrinkled, Old Norse hrukka  a crease, Icelandic skrukka wrinkled woman

Translations

  • British English: shrink Pronunciation for shrink If something shrinks or you shrink it, it becomes smaller.The vast forests of West Africa have shrunk.ʃrɪŋk VERB The vast forests of West Africa have shrunk.
  • Spanish: encoger Pronunciation for encoger v
  • French: rétrécir Pronunciation for rétrécir v
  • German: schrumpfen Pronunciation for schrumpfen v
  • Chinese: 萎缩Pronunciation for 萎缩 v
  • Arabic: يَتَقَلَّصُPronunciation for يَتَقَلَّصُ v
  • Portuguese: encolherPronunciation for encolher v
  • Russian: уменьшать(ся)Pronunciation for уменьшать(ся) v
  • Croatian: smanjiti sePronunciation for smanjiti se v
  • Czech: srazit (se)Pronunciation for srazit (se) v srážet (se)
  • Danish: krympePronunciation for krympe v
  • Dutch: krimpenPronunciation for krimpen v
  • Finnish: kutistuaPronunciation for kutistua v
  • Greek: ζαρώνωPronunciation for ζαρώνω v
  • Italian: restringersiPronunciation for restringersi v
  • Japanese: 縮むPronunciation for 縮む v
  • Korean: 줄어들다Pronunciation for 줄어들다 v
  • Norwegian: krympePronunciation for krympe v
  • Polish: skurczyć sięPronunciation for skurczyć się v kurczyć się
  • Brazilian Portuguese: encolherPronunciation for encolher v
  • European Spanish: encogerse Pronunciation for encogerse v
  • Swedish: krympaPronunciation for krympa v
  • Thai: หดPronunciation for หด v
  • Turkish: kısalmakPronunciation for kısalmak v
  • Vietnamese: co lạiPronunciation for co lại v

Usage examples

  • I wouldn't put much money on Dyer's staying out of the shrink 's hands much longer.
    Hilton, John Buxton, Passion in the Peak (1985)
  • Of course anti-war demos shrink once the fighting has officially ended.
    Spiked (2003)
  • And those rising fees come as stock-fund holders have seen their retirement accounts shrink month after month.
    Globe and Mail (2003)
  • Another success will see his odds for the Queen Mother Chase at the Chelt-enham Festival, currently 8-1, shrink further.
    Sun, News of the World (2000)
  • Osmosis causes water to pass out of the cell, making the vacuole shrink , resulting in the pulling away of the cytoplasm from the cell wall.
    McCahill, T. A., Biology Basic Facts (1982)

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