shrinking

Noun

Synonyms: shrinkage

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

process or result of becoming less or smaller“the material lost 2 inches per yard in shrinkage”Synonyms: shrinkage
the act of becoming less

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]

Shrinking \Shrink"ing\, a. & n. from Shrink. [1913 Webster]

Shrinking head (Founding), a body of molten metal connected with a mold for the purpose of supplying metal to compensate for the shrinkage of the casting; -- called also sinking head, and riser. [1913 Webster]