shrink

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: psychiatristhead-shrinkershrivelshrivel upwitherflinchsquinchfunkcringewincerecoilquail

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

  1. a physician who specializes in psychiatrySynonyms: psychiatristhead-shrinker

Verb (5)

  1. wither, as with a loss of moisture“The fruit dried and shriveled”Synonyms: shrivelshrivel upwither
  2. draw back, as with fear or pain“she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf”Synonyms: flinchsquinchfunkcringewincerecoilquail
  3. reduce in size; reduce physically“Hot water will shrink the sweater”“Can you shrink this image?”Synonyms: reduce
  4. become smaller or draw together“The fabric shrank”“The balloon shrank”Synonyms: contract
  5. decrease in size, range, or extent“His earnings shrank”“My courage shrivelled when I saw the task before me”Synonyms: shrivel
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Shrink \Shrink\, v. i. [imp. Shrankor Shrunkp. p. Shrunk or Shrunken, but the latter is now seldom used except as a participial adjective; p. pr. & vb. n. Shrinking.] [OE. shrinken, schrinken, AS. scrincan; akin to OD. schrincken, and probably to Sw. skrynka a wrinkle, skrynkla to wrinkle, to rumple, and E. shrimp, n. & v., scrimp. CF. Shrimp.]

1.To wrinkle, bend, or curl; to shrivel; hence, to contract into a less extent or compass; to gather together; to become compacted. [1913 Webster]

And on a broken reed he still did stay His feeble steps, which shrunk when hard thereon he lay.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]
I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room.— Bacon.[1913 Webster]
Against this fire do I shrink up.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
And shrink like parchment in consuming fire.— Dryden.[1913 Webster]
All the boards did shrink.— Coleridge.[1913 Webster]

2.To withdraw or retire, as from danger; to decline action from fear; to recoil, as in fear, horror, or distress. [1913 Webster]

What happier natures shrink at with affright, The hard inhabitant contends is right.— Pope.[1913 Webster]
They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task.— Jowett (Thucyd.)[1913 Webster]

3.To express fear, horror, or pain by contracting the body, or part of it; to shudder; to quake. [R.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Shrink \Shrink\, v. t.

1.To cause to contract or shrink; as, to shrink finnel by imersing it in boiling water. [1913 Webster]

2.To draw back; to withdraw. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

The Libyc Hammon shrinks his horn.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

To shrink on (Mach.), to fix (one piece or part) firmly around (another) by natural contraction in cooling, as a tire on a wheel, or a hoop upon a cannon, which is made slightly smaller than the part it is to fit, and expanded by heat till it can be slipped into place. [1913 Webster]

Shrink \Shrink\, n.

1.The act shrinking; shrinkage; contraction; also, recoil; withdrawal. [1913 Webster]

Yet almost wish, with sudden shrink, That I had less to praise.— Leigh Hunt.[1913 Webster]

2.[Contraction of head-shrinker, a colloquial term for psychiatrist.] a psychiatrist. [Coll.] [PJC]

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