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shrink |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: 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. And on a broken reed he still did stay His feeble steps, which shrunk when hard thereon he lay. --Spenser. I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room --Bacon. Against this fire do I shrink up --Shak. And shrink like parchment in consuming fire. --Dryden. All the boards did shrink. --Coleridge. 2. To withdraw or retire, as from danger; to decline action from fear; to recoil, as in fear, horror, or distress. What happier natures shrink at with affright, The hard inhabitant contends is right --Pope. They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task. --Jowett (Thucyd.) 3. To express fear, horror, or pain by contracting the body, or part of it to shudder; to quake. [R.] --Shak. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Shrink \Shrink\, n. The act shrinking; shrinkage; contraction; also recoil; withdrawal. Yet almost wish, with sudden shrink, That I had less to praise. --Leigh Hunt. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Shrink \Shrink\, v. t. 1. To cause to contract or shrink; as to shrink finnel by imersing it in boiling water. 2. To draw back to withdraw. [Obs.] The Libyc Hammon shrinks his horn. --Milton. {To shrink on} (Mach.), to fix (one piece or part) firmly around (another) by natural contraction in cooling, as a tire on a wheel, or a hoop upon a cannon, which is made slightly smaller than the part it is to fit and expanded by heat till it can be slipped into place From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: shrink n : a physician who specializes in psychiatry [syn: {psychiatrist}, {head-shrinker}] v 1: wither, esp. with a loss of moisture; "The fruit dried and shriveled" [syn: {shrivel}, {shrivel up}, {wither}] 2: draw back as with fear [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: draw together; "The fabric shrank" [syn: {contract}] [ant: {stretch}] 5: decrease in size, range, or extent; ""His earnings shrank"; "My courage shrivelled when I saw the task before me" [syn: {shrivel}]
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