What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Wilt vs Shrunk - What's the difference?

wilt | shrunk |

As verbs the difference between wilt and shrunk

is that wilt is to droop or become limp and flaccid (as a dying leaf or flower) or wilt can be while shrunk is (shrink).

As a noun wilt

is the act of wilting or the state of being wilted.

wilt

English

Etymology 1

Recorded since 1691, probably an alteration of welk, itself from (etyl) welken, presumed from (etyl) (preserved in modern inchoative verwelken) or (etyl) .

Verb

(en verb)
  • To droop or become limp and flaccid (as a dying leaf or flower).
  • To fatigue; to lose strength.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=September 27 , author=Alistair Magowan , title=Bayern Munich 2 - 0 Man City , work=BBC Sport citation , passage=Not only were Jupp Heynckes' team pacey in attack but they were relentless in their pursuit of the ball once they had lost it, and as the game wore on they merely increased their dominance as City wilted in the Allianz Arena.}}
  • To cause to droop or become limp and flaccid (as a flower).
  • To cause to fatigue; to exhaust.
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of wilting or the state of being wilted.
  • Any of various plant diseases characterized by wilting.
  • Etymology 2

    Verb

    (head)
  • * Bible, Psalms
  • If thou triest my heart, if thou visitest me by night, if thou testest me, thou wilt find no wickedness in me.
    English auxiliary verb forms English ergative verbs English irregular second-person singular forms ----

    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