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Shrink

//ˈʃɹɪŋk// noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Noun

1
Shrinkage; contraction; recoil.
"Yet almost with, with sudden shrink, That I had less to praise."
2
a physician who specializes in psychiatry wordnet
3
A psychiatrist or psychotherapist. derogatory, slang, sometimes
"You need to see a shrink, you crazy fool."
4
Loss of inventory, for example due to shoplifting or not selling items before their expiration date. uncountable
"Assuming the retailer's shrink is average or below, and the owner is comfortable with the level of shrink, perhaps nothing more need be done except to maintain vigilance and to monitor the shrink for signs of emerging problems."

Verb

1
To cause to become smaller. transitive
"The dryer shrank my sweater."
2
decrease in size, range, or extent wordnet
3
To become smaller; to contract. intransitive
"This garment will shrink when wet."
4
become smaller or draw together wordnet
5
To cower or flinch. intransitive
"Molly shrank away from the blows of the whip."

Show 6 more definitions

6
reduce in size; reduce physically wordnet
7
To draw back; to withdraw. transitive
"The Libyc Hammon ſhrinks his horn,"
8
wither, as with a loss of moisture wordnet
9
To withdraw or retire, as from danger. figuratively, intransitive
"What happier natures shrink at with affright, / The hard inhabitant contends is right."
10
draw back, as with fear or pain wordnet
11
To move back or away, especially because of fear or disgust. intransitive

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English schrynken, from Old English sċrincan, from Proto-Germanic *skrinkwaną. Cognate with Dutch schrinken (“to shrink”). The sense “psychologist, psychotherapist” is a clipping of head-shrinker.

Etymology 2

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