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   shrink

   /ʃrɪŋk/

   verb

   • 1. become or make smaller in size or amount: "the workforce shrank to a thousand" Similar get smallerbecome/grow smallercontractdiminishlessenreducedecreasedwindlenarrowshortenslimdeclinefall offdrop offcondensedeflateshrivelwithermake smallercontractlessenreducedecreasenarrowshortentruncateabbreviatecondenseslim downpare downconcentrateabridgecompresssqueezedeflateshrivelwitherOpposite expandincreaseexpandincrease
   • ▪ (of clothes or material) become smaller as a result of being immersed in water: "she wore a sweater which had shrunk slightly"
   • ▪ fit something tightly on or on to another object by expanding it with heat and then cooling it rapidly after positioning: "the metal is unsuitable for shrinking on to wooden staves"
   • 2. move back or away, especially because of fear or disgust: "she shrank away from him, covering her face" Similar draw backrecoiljump backspring backjerk backpull backstart backback awayretreatwithdrawflinchshy awayblenchstartwincecringecowerquail
   • ▪ be averse to or unwilling to do (something difficult or unappealing): "I don't shrink from my responsibilities" Similar recoilshy awayhang backdemurflinchhave scruples aboutscruple abouthave misgivings abouthave qualms aboutbe loath tobe reluctant tobe unwilling tobe disinclined tobe indisposed tobe sorry tobe averse tobe slow tobe chary offight shy ofnot be in favour ofbe againstbe opposed tobe hesitant tobe diffident aboutbe bashful aboutbe shy aboutbe coy aboutbe ashamed tobe afraid tohesitate tohate tonot like tonot have the heart todrag one's feet/heels overwaver aboutvacillate aboutthink twice aboutbalk atquail atmind doing somethinginformal:boggle atarchaic:disrelish somethingOpposite confrontbe eager to
   • ▪ become withdrawn.

   noun

   • 1. a psychiatrist: informal "you should see a shrink"

   Word Origin Old Englishscrincan, of Germanic origin; related to Swedish skrynka ‘to wrinkle’. The noun (1960s) is shortened from headshrinker.

   Derivatives

   • 1. shrinkable adjective
   • 2. shrinker noun

   Scrabble Points: 13

   • S

     1

   • H

     4

   • R

     1

   • I

     1

   • N

     1

   • K

     5

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