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Shrink vs Minimize - What's the difference?

shrink | minimize |

In transitive terms the difference between shrink and minimize

is that shrink is to draw back; to withdraw while minimize is to make (something) as small or as insignificant as possible.

As a noun shrink

is shrinkage; contraction; recoil.

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

    minimize

    English

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (non-Oxford British spelling)

    Verb

    (minimiz)
  • To make (something) as small or as insignificant as possible.
  • (computing, transitive, graphical user interface) To remove (a window) from the main display area, collapsing it to an icon or caption.
    • I didn't close anything, but I minimized all the windows so I could see the desktop.