Английский Этимологический словарь - sink (v.)

- O.E. sincan "become submerged, go under" (past tense sanc, pp. suncen), from P.Gmc. *senkwanan. The transitive use supplants M.E. sench (cf. drink/drench) which died out 14c. The noun is from 1413, originally "pool or pit for wastewater or sewage," sense of "shallow basin with drainpipe" first recorded 1566. Sink-hole in geological sense is from 1791; sinking fund is from 1724; sinker in fishing line sense is from 1844. Adjective phrase sink or swim is from 1668.