Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference - shrink

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'). Phrases and idioms shrinking 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 shrink into oneself become withdrawn.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. Derivatives shrinkable adj. shrinker n. shrinkingly adv. shrink-proof adj. Etymology: OE scrincan: cf. skrynka to wrinkle