/ ʃrɪŋk; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb ( shrank / ʃræŋk; NAmE / shrunk / ʃrʌŋk; NAmE / or, shrunk , shrunk )
1.
to become smaller, especially when washed in water that is too hot; to make clothes, cloth, etc. smaller in this way :
[ v ]
My sweater shrank in the wash.
[also vn ]
2.
to become or to make sth smaller in size or amount :
[ v ]
The tumour had shrunk to the size of a pea.
The market for their products is shrinking.
[ vn ]
There was a movie called 'Honey I shrunk the kids!'.
Television in a sense has shrunk the world.
—see also shrunken
3.
[ v + adv. / prep. ] to move back or away from sth because you are frightened or shocked
SYN cower :
He shrank back against the wall as he heard them approaching.
•
IDIOMS
- a shrinking violet
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- shrink from sth
■ noun
( slang , humorous ) a psychiatrist or psychologist
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English scrincan , of Germanic origin; related to Swedish skrynka to wrinkle.