shrink

[ shringk ]
/ ʃrɪŋk /

verb (used without object), shrank or, often, shrunk; shrunk or shrunk·en; shrink·ing.

verb (used with object), shrank or, often, shrunk; shrunk or shrunk·en; shrink·ing.

to cause to shrink or contract; reduce.
Textiles. to cause (a fabric) to contract during finishing, thus preventing shrinkage, during laundering, of the garments made from it.

noun

Origin of shrink

before 900; 1955–60 for def 9; Middle English schrinken, Old English scrincan; cognate with Middle Dutch schrinken, Swedish skrynka to shrink, Norwegian skrukka old shrunken woman

synonym study for shrink

1. See wince1. 3. See decrease.

OTHER WORDS FROM shrink

British Dictionary definitions for head shrinker

shrink
/ (ʃrɪŋk) /

verb shrinks, shrinking, shrank, shrunk, shrunk or shrunken

to contract or cause to contract as from wetness, heat, cold, etc
to become or cause to become smaller in size
(intr often foll by from)
  1. to recoil or withdrawto shrink from the sight of blood
  2. to feel great reluctance (at)to shrink from killing an animal

noun

the act or an instance of shrinking
slang a psychiatrist

Derived forms of shrink

shrinkable, adjective shrinker, noun shrinking, adjective shrinkingly, adverb

Word Origin for shrink

Old English scrincan; related to Old Norse skrokkr torso, Old Swedish skrunkin wrinkled, Old Norse hrukka a crease, Icelandic skrukka wrinkled woman