DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan
Shrink v. i. [imp. Shrank or Shrunk p. p. Shrunk or Shrunken but the latter is now seldom used except as a participial adjective; p. pr. & vb. n. Shrinking.]
1. To wrinkle, bend, or curl; to shrivel; hence, to contract into a less extent or compass; to gather together; to become compacted.
And on a broken reed he still did stay
His feeble steps, which shrunk when hard thereon he lay. --Spenser.
I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room. --Bacon.
Against this fire do I shrink up. --Shak.
And shrink like parchment in consuming fire. --Dryden.
All the boards did shrink. --Coleridge.
2. To withdraw or retire, as from danger; to decline action from fear; to recoil, as in fear, horror, or distress.
What happier natures shrink at with affright,
The hard inhabitant contends is right. --Pope.
They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task. --Jowett (Thucyd.)
3. To express fear, horror, or pain by contracting the body, or part of it; to shudder; to quake. [R.]
shrink
n : a physician who specializes in psychiatry [syn: psychiatrist,
head-shrinker]
v 1: wither, especially with a loss of moisture; "The fruit dried
and shriveled" [syn: shrivel, shrivel up, wither]
2: draw back, as with fear or pain; "she flinched when they
showed the slaughtering of the calf" [syn: flinch, squinch,
funk, cringe, wince, recoil, quail]
3: reduce in size; reduce physically; "Hot water will shrink
the sweater"; "Can you shrink this image?" [syn: reduce]
4: become smaller or draw together; "The fabric shrank"; "The
balloon shrank" [syn: contract] [ant: expand, stretch]
5: decrease in size, range, or extent; "His earnings shrank";
"My courage shrivelled when I saw the task before me"
[syn: shrivel]
[also: shrunken, shrunk, shrank]