sink (sɪŋk
)
Definitions
verb
Word forms: sinks, sinking, sank, sunk, sunken
- to descend or cause to descend, esp beneath the surface of a liquid or soft substance
- (intr) to appear to move down towards or descend below the horizon
- (intr) to slope downwards; dip
- (intr; often foll by in or into) to pass into or gradually enter a specified lower state or condition ⇒
to sink into apathy
- to make or become lower in volume, pitch, etc
- to make or become lower in value, price, etc
- (intr) to become weaker in health, strength, etc
- to decline or cause to decline in moral value, worth, etc
- (intr) to seep or penetrate
- (tr) to suppress or conceal ⇒
he sank his worries in drink
- (tr) to dig, cut, drill, bore, or excavate (a hole, shaft, etc)
- (tr) to drive into the ground ⇒
to sink a stake
- (tr; usually foll by in or into)
- to invest (money)
- to lose (money) in an unwise or unfortunate investment
- (tr) to pay (a debt)
- (intr) to become hollow; cave in ⇒
his cheeks had sunk during his illness
- (tr) to hit, throw, or propel (a ball) into a hole, basket, pocket, etc ⇒
he sank a 15-foot putt
- (tr) British informal to drink, esp quickly ⇒
he sank three pints in half an hour
- See sink or swim
noun
- a fixed basin, esp in a kitchen, made of stone, earthenware, metal, etc, used for washing
- See sinkhole
- another word for cesspool
- a place of vice or corruption
- an area of ground below that of the surrounding land, where water collects
- physics a device or part of a system at which energy is removed from the system ⇒
a heat sink
adjective
- informal (of a housing estate or school) deprived or having low standards of achievement
Alternative Forms
ˈsinkable adjectiveWord Origin
Old English sincan; related to Old Norse sökkva to sink, Gothic siggan, Old High German sincan, Swedish sjunkaSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
decline,
die,
fade,
fail,
flag,
weaken,
diminish,
decrease,
deteriorate,
decay,
worsen,
dwindle,
lessen,
degenerate,
depreciate,
go downhill,
Translations
- British English:
sink
A sink is a basin with taps that supply water.There were dirty dishes in the sink.sɪŋk NOUN There were dirty dishes in the sink.
- Spanish:
fregadero
nm
- French:
évier
nm
- German:
Spüle
nf
- Chinese: 水池 n
- Arabic: بَالُّوعَة n
- Portuguese: lava-loiças nm
- Russian: раковина nf
- Croatian: sudoper nm
- Czech: dřez nm
- Danish: håndvask nutr
- Dutch: gootsteen nm
- Finnish: pesuallas n
- Greek: νεροχύτης nm
- Italian: lavandino nm
- Japanese: シンク n
- Korean: 개수대 n
- Norwegian: vask nm
- Polish: zlew nm
- Brazilian Portuguese: pia nf
- European Spanish:
fregadero
nm
- Swedish: diskho nutr
- Thai: อ่างสำหรับล้าง n
- Turkish: lavabo n
- Vietnamese: bồn rửa n
- British English:
sink
If a boat sinks, or if something sinks it, it disappears below the surface of a mass of water.In a naval battle your aim is to sink the enemy's ship.sɪŋk VERB In a naval battle your aim is to sink the enemy's ship.
- Spanish:
hundirse
v
- French:
couler
vi
- German:
sinken
v
- Chinese: 下沉 vi
- Arabic: يَغْرَقُ vi
- Portuguese: afundar-se vi
- Russian: тонуть vi
- Croatian: potonuti v
- Czech: ponořit vi ponořovat
- Danish: synke v
- Dutch: zinken vi
- Finnish: upottaa v
- Greek: βουλιάζω v
- Italian: affondare v
- Japanese: 膿瘻 v
- Korean: 가라앉다 vi
- Norwegian: synke v
- Polish: zatonąć vi tonąć
- Brazilian Portuguese: afundar-se vi
- European Spanish:
hundirse
v
- Swedish: sjunka vt
- Thai: จม vi
- Turkish: batmak vi
- Vietnamese: chìm xuống v
Usage examples
Probably all the amateur philosophers in Britain were now brushing their teeth at the kitchen sink.
, SOMEBODY (2002)There is no better place to enjoy a hangover than Venice, the city which refuses to sink.
Country Life (2005)So they're compelled to fight this or else tell all students to wash their feet in the sink.
Globe and Mail (2003)Do you tend to lie flat out, sit on the edge or sink cosily into deep cushions?
Glasgow Herald (2001)Take a deep breath in and on the exhale sink down into your belly and relax.
, MOVING INTO ECSTASY: An Urban Mystic's Guide to Movement, Music and Meditation (2001)