Shrink
WordNet
noun
(1) A physician who specializes in psychiatry
verb
(2) Become smaller or draw together
"The fabric shrank"
"The balloon shrank"
(3) Reduce in size; reduce physically
"Hot water will shrink the sweater"
"Can you shrink this image?"
(4) Wither, as with a loss of moisture
"The fruit dried and shriveled"
(5) Draw back, as with fear or pain
"She flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf"
WiktionaryText
Verb
- To contract, to become smaller, especially through exposure to cold and moisture.
- This garment will shrink when wet.
- To cause something to become smaller.
- To attempt to avoid an unwanted or intimidating duty; as, to shrink from a task.
Noun
- A psychiatrist or therapist, also referred to as a head-shrinker.
- You need to see a shrink.
- My shrink said that he was an enabler, bad for me.
Usage notes
- This was originally pejorative, expressing a distrust of practitioners in the field.
- It is now more nearly belittling or trivializing.