ʃrɪŋk v. & n. --v. (past
shrank;
past part.
shrunk or (esp. as adj.) shrunken) 1 tr. & intr.
make or
become smaller;
contract,
esp. by
the action of
moisture,
heat, or
cold. 2 intr. (usu. foll. by from) a
retire;
recoil; flinch;
cower (shrank
from her touch). b be
averse from
doing (shrinks from
meeting them). 3 (as shrunken adj.) (esp. of a
face,
person, etc.) having
grown smaller esp.
because of
age,
illness, etc. --n. 1 the
act or an
instance of shrinking;
shrinkage. 2 sl. a psychiatrist (from 'head-shrinker'). øshrinking
violet an exaggeratedly shy person. shrink
into oneself become withdrawn. shrink on slip (a
metal tyre etc.) on
while expanded
with heat
and allow to
tighten. shrink-resistant (of textiles etc.) resistant to shrinkage
when wet etc. shrink-wrap (-wrapped, -wrapping)
enclose (an article) in (esp. transparent)
film that shrinks tightly on to
it. øøshrinkable adj. shrinker n. shrinkingly adv. shrink-proof adj. [OE scrincan:
cf. skrynka to wrinkle]
