Shrimp, n.
 1. Zool. (a) Any one of numerous species of macruran Crustacea belonging to Crangon and various allied genera, having a slender body and long legs.  Many of them are used as food.  The larger kinds are called also prawns. See Illust. of Decapoda. (b) In a more general sense, any species of the macruran tribe Caridea, or any species of the order Schizopoda, having a similar form. (c) In a loose sense, any small crustacean, including some amphipods and even certain entomostracans; as, the fairy shrimp, and brine shrimp. See under Fairy, and Brine.
 2. Figuratively, a little wrinkled man; a dwarf; -- in contempt.
    This weak and writhled shrimp.   --Shak.
 Opossum shrimp. Zool. See under Opossum.
 Spector shrimp, or Skeleton shrimp Zool., any slender amphipod crustacean of the genus Caprella and allied genera. See Illust. under Laemodopoda.
 Shrimp catcher Zool., the little tern (Sterna minuta).
 Shrimp net, a dredge net fixed upon a pole, or a sweep net dragged over the fishing ground.
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