shrink
verb uk/ʃrɪŋk/ us/ʃrɪŋk/ shrank | shrunk
(BECOME SMALLER)
B2 [ I or T ]（使）缩小，（使）变小
to become smaller, or to make something smaller
Your sweater will shrink if you wash it at too high a temperature. 用温度过高的水洗毛衣，毛衣会缩水。
The company's profits have shrunk from $5.5 million to $1.25 million. 公司利润从550万美元减少到了125万美元。
The productivity improvements have shrunk our costs by 25 percent. 生产率的提高使我们的成本下降了25%。
See also: shrunken
- More examples
- My skirt shrank in the wash.
- These trousers must have shrunk - I can't do the zip up.
- Have you shrunk? You look so much thinner!
- People shrink as they get older.
- Unfortunately, the world population of Hawaiian geese has shrunk to very small numbers.
(BE FRIGHTENED)
[ I usually + adv/prep ] literary畏缩，退缩
to move away from someone or something because you are frightened
The child shrank behind the sofa as his father shouted at him. 孩子在父亲冲他吼叫时退缩到了沙发后面。
When she was younger she would shrink (away) from me whenever I spoke to her. 她小的时候，我一和她说话她就会退缩。
Phrasal verb
shrink from something 逃避，躲避（令人不快或困难的事）
to avoid doing something that is unpleasant or difficult
We must not shrink from our responsibilities. 我们一定不能逃避责任。
[ + -ing verb ] We will not shrink from using force. 我们不会放弃使用武力。
shrink
noun [ C ] informal uk/ʃrɪŋk/ us/ʃrɪŋk/
精神病医生
a psychiatrist or psychoanalyst
I was so depressed that I ended up going to see a shrink. 我太郁闷了，最后不得不去找心理医生看看。