shrink
Translation
to shrink, to contract, to recoil
Examples
My sweater shrank in the wash.
My jumper shrank in the wash.
The company's profits are shrinking.
The company's profits are shrinking.
He shrank from the task.
He shrank from the task.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) shrinks to become smaller The fabric shrinks when washed in hot water.
to shrink from ((sth. / -ing)) to recoil from (sth.) She doesn't shrink from telling the truth.
Similar Words
Synonyms: contract, decrease, diminish; Antonyms: expand, grow, increase
Etymology
From Old English 'scrincan', meaning 'to draw in the limbs, contract, wither'.
Memory Tips
Remember the vowel change in the past tenses, like 'drink, drank, drunk' and 'sink, sank, sunk': shrink, shrank, shrunk.