shrink: Meaning and Definition of

shrink

Pronunciation: (shringk), [key]
— v., n. shrank shrunk shrunk shrunk𠈮n shrink•ing
—v.i.
  1. to draw back, as in retreat or avoidance: to shrink from danger; to shrink from contact.
  2. to contract or lessen in size, as from exposure to conditions of temperature or moisture: This cloth will not shrink if washed in lukewarm water.
  3. to become reduced in extent or compass.
—v.t.
  1. to cause to shrink or contract; reduce.
  2. to cause (a fabric) to contract during finishing, thus preventing shrinkage, during laundering, of the garments made from it.
—n.
  1. an act or instance of shrinking.
  2. a shrinking movement.
  3. shrinkage.
  4. Also calleda psychotherapist, psychiatrist, or psychoanalyst.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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