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Shrank vs Lessen - What's the difference?

shrank | lessen |

As verbs the difference between shrank and lessen

is that shrank is simple past of shrink while lessen is to make less; to diminish; to reduce.

As a noun shrank

is a large highly decorative Dutch or German-style piece of furniture, which combines aspects of a clothing wardrobe, curio, and cabinet.

shrank

English

Etymology 1

See (l)

Verb

(head)
  • (shrink)

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl); cognate to (etyl) Schrank.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (US, Pennsylvania Dutch English) A large highly decorative Dutch or German-style piece of furniture, which combines aspects of a clothing wardrobe, curio, and cabinet.

    • References

    * The Pennsylvania Dutch Country , By Irwin Richman, 2004, pages 102-103.[http://books.google.com/books?id=Edm413zzPtUC&pg=PA103&dq=%22Shrunk+German+furniture%22&ei=dfPISsTWNILckATtgv2rAw
  • v=onepage&q=shrank&f=false]
    • ----

    lessen

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make less; to diminish; to reduce.
  • * Calamy
    • Charity shall lessen his punishment.
  • * Atterbury
    • St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to lessen it.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=December 16 , author=Denis Campbell , title=Hospital staff 'lack skills to cope with dementia patients' , work=Guardian citation , page= , passage=Many hospitals have not taken simple steps to lessen the distress and confusion which dementia sufferers' often feel on being somewhere so unfamiliar – such as making signs large and easy to read, using colour schemes to help patients find their way around unfamiliar wards and not putting family mementoes such as photographs nearby.}}
  • To become less.

    • Anagrams

    * * English ergative verbs ----