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Doubt vs Shrink - What's the difference?

doubt | shrink | Related terms |

Doubt is a related term of shrink.


As nouns the difference between doubt and shrink

is that doubt is uncertainty, disbelief while shrink is shrinkage; contraction; recoil.

As verbs the difference between doubt and shrink

is that doubt is (ambitransitive) to lack confidence in; to disbelieve, question, or suspect while shrink is to cause to become smaller.

doubt

English

Alternative forms

* (l) (obsolete)

Noun

(wikipedia doubt)
  • Uncertainty, disbelief.
  • *
    • It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street.. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts .

    Related terms

    * benefit of the doubt * beyond a shadow of a doubt * beyond doubt * beyond reasonable doubt * doubtable * doubter * doubtful * doubting Thomas * doubtless * no doubt * reasonable doubt * shadow of a doubt * self-doubt * undoubtedly * without doubt

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (ambitransitive) To lack confidence in; to disbelieve, question, or suspect.
    • He doubted that was really what you meant.
  • * Hooker
    • Even in matters divine, concerning some things, we may lawfully doubt
  • * Dryden
    • To try your love and make you doubt of mine.
  • (archaic) To fear; to suspect.
  • * 1819 , Lord Byron, Don Juan , I.186:
    • He fled, like Joseph, leaving it; but there, / I doubt , all likeness ends between the pair.
  • (obsolete) To fear; to be apprehensive of.
  • * R. of Gloucester
    • Edmond [was a] good man and doubted God.
  • * Shakespeare
    • I doubt some foul play.
  • * Spenser
    • I of doubted danger had no fear.
  • (obsolete) To fill with fear; to affright.
  • *
  • * Beaumont and Fletcher
    • The virtues of the valiant Caratach / More doubt me than all Britain.

    Related terms

    * dubiety * dubious

    Statistics

    * English reporting verbs

    shrink

    English

    Verb

  • To cause to become smaller.
    • The dryer shrank my sweater.
  • To become smaller; to contract.
    • This garment will shrink when wet.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room.
  • * Dryden
    • And shrink like parchment in consuming fire.
  • To cower or flinch.
    • Molly shrank away from the blows of the whip.
  • To draw back; to withdraw.
  • * Milton
    • The Libya Hammon shrinks his horn.
  • (figuratively) To withdraw or retire, as from danger.
  • * Alexander Pope
    • What happier natures shrink at with affright, / The hard inhabitant contends is right.
  • * Jowett (Thucyd.)
    • They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task.

    Synonyms

    * (avoid an unwanted task) funk, shirk

    Antonyms

    * (to cause to become smaller) expand, grow, enlarge, stretch * (become smaller) expand, grow, enlarge, stretch

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • shrinkage; contraction; recoil
    • Yet almost wish, with sudden shrink , / That I had less to praise. — Leigh Hunt.
  • (slang, sometimes, pejorative) A psychiatrist or therapist; a head-shrinker.
    • You need to see a shrink .
    My shrink said that he was an enabler, bad for me.
  • * 1994 , (Green Day),
    • I went to a shrink , to analyze my dreams. He said it's lack of sex that's bringing my down.''

    Usage notes

    * The slang sense was originally pejorative, expressing a distrust of practitioners in the field. It is now not as belittling or trivializing.

    Synonyms

    * head-shrinker