Pronunciation: ' shri ŋ k, esp Southern ' sri ŋ k
Function: verb
Inflected Form: shrank \ ' shra ŋ k, ' sra ŋ k \ or shrunk \ ' shr ə ŋ k, ' sr ə ŋ k \ ; shrunk or shrunk · en \ ' shr ə ŋ -k ə n, ' sr ə ŋ - \ ; shrink · ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English scrincan; akin to Middle Dutch schrinken to draw back
Date: before 12th century
intransitive verb
1 : to contract or curl up the body or part of it : HUDDLE , COWER
2 a : to contract to less extent or compass b : to become smaller or more compacted c : to lose substance or weight d : to lessen in value : DWINDLE
3 a : to recoil instinctively (as from something painful or horrible) < shrank from the challenge> b : to hold oneself back : REFRAIN <did not shrink from telling the truth>
transitive verb : to cause to contract or shrink specifically : to compact (cloth) by causing to contract when subjected to washing, boiling, steaming, or other processes
synonyms see CONTRACT , RECOIL
– shrink · able \ ' shri ŋ -k ə -b ə l, ' sri ŋ - \ adjective
– shrink · er noun