[syn: shoplifting, shrinkage]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Shrinkage \Shrink"age\, n.
1. The act of shrinking; a contraction into less bulk or
measurement.
[1913 Webster]
2. The amount of such contraction; the bulk or dimension lost
by shrinking, as of grain, castings, etc.
[1913 Webster]
3. Decrease in value; depreciation. [Colloq.]
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
shrinkage
n 1: process or result of becoming less or smaller; "the
material lost 2 inches per yard in shrinkage" [syn:
shrinking, shrinkage]
2: the amount by which something shrinks
3: the act of stealing goods that are on display in a store;
"shrinkage is the retail trade's euphemism for shoplifting"
[syn: shoplifting, shrinkage]