SHRINK

I. verb (shrank or shrunk; shrunk or shrunken; ~ing) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English scrincan; akin to Middle Dutch schrinken to draw back Date: before 12th century intransitive verb to contract or curl up the body or part of it ; huddle , cower , 2. to contract to less extent or compass, to become smaller or more compacted, to lose substance or weight, to lessen in value ; dwindle , 3. to recoil instinctively (as from something painful or horrible) , to hold oneself back ; refrain , transitive verb to cause to contract or ~, see: contract ~able adjective ~er noun II. noun Date: 1590 the act of ~ing, ~age , a clinical psychiatrist or psychologist