shrink´a|ble

shrink¹ «shrihngk», verb, shrank or shrunk, shrunk or shrunk|en, shrink|ing, noun.

–v.i.

1. to draw back; recoil: »

The dog shrank from the whip. That shy girl shrinks from meeting strangers.

2. a) to become smaller: »

His wool sweater shrank when it was washed in hot water.

3. to become less: »

When his influence began to shrink, his wealth also decreased.

–v.t.

to make smaller or less; cause to shrink: »

Hot water shrinks wool. Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, Shrunk to this little measure? (Shakespeare).

–n.

a shrinking.

╂[Old English scrincan]

–shrink´a|ble, adjective.

–shrink´ing|ly, adverb.

Synonym Study intransitive verb. 1 Shrink, flinch mean to draw back from something painful, unpleasant, or the like. Shrink suggests drawing back physically or mentally because of instinctive fear, horror, or aversion: »

to shrink at the sight of blood. He shrank from admitting his guilt.

Flinch suggests drawing back from danger, an unpleasant duty, or, especially, pain, because of weakness or lack of courage: »

Spartans could bear torture without flinching. He flinched from adult responsibilities.

Usage Shrunken is still sometimes used as a past participle (»

It had shrunken

), but is chiefly used as an adjective (»

a shrunken face

).

shrink² «shrihngk», noun.

U.S. Slang. a psychiatrist: »

Afflicted with chronic depression leading occasionally to acute paranoia,…he visits the shrink at the university health center (Harper's).

╂[< (head)-shrink(er)]