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Shrunk vs Retired - What's the difference?

shrunk | retired |

As verbs the difference between shrunk and retired

is that shrunk is past tense of shrink while retired is past tense of retire.

As an adjective retired is

secluded from society (of a lifestyle, activity etc.); private, quiet.

shrunk

English

Verb

(head)
  • (shrink)

    • Usage notes

    In casual use, found even in careful speech, interchangeable with shrank; in careful formal use, only used for past participle "I have'' shrunk ", while ''shrank is used for the past tense "I shrank". Compare sank/sunk. The inconsistent usage is due to the fact that shrink is a (Germanic strong verb), hence conjugated via ablaut (change of vowel rather than adding ), but these are irregular in modern English. The past tense "shrunk" is derived from the Old English plural past "scruncon". The same form is found in other past tenses, such as "slunk". The 1989 movie '' (formally: ''Honey, I Shrank the Kids'' or ''Honey, I've Shrunk the Kids ) is an example of the prevalence of the casual form. Note that in the 1844 translation of the , the form "shrank" is used in IV Maccabees 14:4] ("None of the seven youths turned cowardly, or shrank back from death", singular subject), whereas "shrunk" is used in [http://ebible.org/eng-Brenton/1MA03.htm I Maccabees 3:6 ("Wherefore the wicked shrunk for fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled, because salvation prospered in his hand", plural subject). The preferred form when used adjectivally is "shrunken".

    Usage notes

    * " shrunk/shrank", Paul Brians * " ON LANGUAGE; How 'Shrunk' Snuck In", by (William Safire), July 16, 1995, New York Times

    retired

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Secluded from society (of a lifestyle, activity etc.); private, quiet.
  • Of a place: far from civilisation, not able to be easily seen or accessed; secluded.
  • *1910 , , "The Saint and the Goblin", Reginald in Russia :
  • *:The little stone Saint occupied a retired niche in a side aisle of the old cathedral.
  • That has left employment (of a person), especially on reaching pensionable age.
    • The retired workers are a major expense due to their pensions.

    Verb

    (head)
  • (retire)

    • Anagrams

    * *