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Sink vs Shrink - What's the difference?

sink | shrink |

Shrink is a antonym of sink.

Shrink is a synonym of sink.



In transitive terms the difference between sink and shrink

is that sink is to push (something) into something while shrink is to draw back; to withdraw.

In intransitive terms the difference between sink and shrink

is that sink is to decrease in volume, as a river; to subside; to become diminished in volume or in apparent height while shrink is to cower or flinch.

As verbs the difference between sink and shrink

is that sink is To move or be moved into something.shrink is to cause to become smaller.

As nouns the difference between sink and shrink

is that sink is a basin used for holding water for washing while shrink is shrinkage; contraction; recoil.

sink

English

Verb

  • To move or be moved into something.
  • #(lb) To descend or submerge (or to cause to do so) into a liquid or similar substance.
  • #:
  • #(lb) To cause a vessel to sink, generally by making it no longer watertight.
  • #(lb) To push (something) into something.
  • #:
  • # To pot; hit a ball into a pocket or hole.
  • #*2008 , Edward Keating, The Joy of Ex: A Novel
  • #*:My sister beats me at pool in public a second time. I claim some dignity back by potting two of my balls before Tammy sinks the black.
  • To diminish or be diminished.
  • # To experience apprehension, disappointment, dread, or momentary depression.
  • #*1897 , (Bram Stoker), (Dracula), Ch.21:
  • #*:I tried, but I could not wake him. This caused me a great fear, and I looked around terrified. Then indeed, my heart sank within me. Beside the bed, as if he had stepped out of the mist, or rather as if the mist had turned into his figure, for it had entirely disappeared, stood a tall, thin man, all in black.
  • #*1915 , , The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel , Little, Brown, and Company, Boston; ch. XIX:
  • #*:Peter's heart sank . "Don't you think it is dreadful?" he asked.
  • # To cause to decline; to depress or degrade.
  • #:
  • #*(William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • #*:If I have a conscience, let it sink me.
  • #* (1674-1718)
  • #*:Thy cruel and unnatural lust of power / Has sunk thy father more than all his years.
  • #(lb) To demean or lower oneself; to do something below one's status, standards, or morals.
  • #*2013 , Steve Henschel, Niagara This Week , April 24:
  • #*:Who would sink so low as to steal change from veterans?
  • To conceal and appropriate.
  • *(Jonathan Swift) (1667–1745)
  • *:If sent with ready money to buy anything, and you happen to be out of pocket, sink the money, and take up the goods on account.
  • To keep out of sight; to suppress; to ignore.
  • * (1721-1793)
  • *:a courtly willingness to sink obnoxious truths
  • To reduce or extinguish by payment.
  • :
  • (lb) To be overwhelmed or depressed; to fail in strength.
  • *(rfdate) (William Shakespeare) (1564-1616)
  • *:I think our country sinks beneath the yoke.
  • *(rfdate) John Mortimer (1656?-1736)
  • *:Let not the fire sink or slacken.
  • (lb) To decrease in volume, as a river; to subside; to become diminished in volume or in apparent height.
  • *(rfdate) (Joseph Addison) (1672-1719)
  • *:The Alps and Pyreneans sink before him.
  • *
  • *:It was not far from the house; but the ground sank into a depression there, and the ridge of it behind shut out everything except just the roof of the tallest hayrick. As one sat on the sward behind the elm, with the back turned on the rick and nothing in front but the tall elms and the oaks in the other hedge, it was quite easy to fancy it the verge of the prairie with the backwoods close by.
  • Usage notes

    * Use of the past participle form sunk'' for the past ''sank is not uncommon, but considered incorrect.

    Synonyms

    * descend, go down * (submerge) dip, dunk, submerge * *

    Derived terms

    * sinker * sink in * sink like a stone * sinking fund * sinking head * sink or swim * sinking pump * sinking ship * countersink

    Noun

    (wikipedia sink) (en noun)
  • A basin used for holding water for washing
  • A drain for carrying off wastewater
  • (geology) A sinkhole
  • A depression in land where water collects, with no visible outlet
  • A heat sink
  • A place that absorbs resources or energy
  • (baseball) The motion of a sinker pitch
  • Jones' has a two-seamer with heavy sink .
  • (computing, programming) An object or callback that captures events; event sink
  • (graph theory) a destination vertex in a transportation network
  • Synonyms

    * (basin) basin, washbasin

    Antonyms

    * (destination vertex) source

    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