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Diminish vs. Shrink

Diminish and Shrink Definitions

Diminish

To make smaller or less; reduce or lessen.

Shrink

To become or appear to become smaller
The shadows shrank as the sun rose higher. The mountains shrank in the distance as we drove away.

Diminish

To detract from the authority, reputation, or prestige of
"Her upper-class perfection ... somehow diminished me" (Shirley Abbott).

Shrink

To become smaller from exposure to heat, moisture, or cold
The sweater shrank in the wash.

Diminish

To cause to taper.

Shrink

To become reduced in amount or value; dwindle
His savings quickly shrank. The market for that product has been shrinking.
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Diminish

(Music) To reduce (a perfect or minor interval) by a semitone.

Shrink

To move back or away, especially in fear
"She shrank back against the wall and flattened her palms against it" (Pearl S. Buck).

Diminish

To become smaller or less.

Shrink

To show reluctance; hesitate
We should not shrink from making such a sacrifice.

Diminish

To taper.

Shrink

To cause to shrink
The treatment shrank the tumor.
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Diminish

(transitive) To make smaller.

Shrink

The act of shrinking.

Diminish

(intransitive) To become less or smaller.

Shrink

The degree to which something shrinks; shrinkage.

Diminish

(transitive) To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken; to nerf (in gaming).

Shrink

(Slang) A psychotherapist.
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Diminish

(intransitive) To taper.

Shrink

(transitive) To cause to become smaller.
The dryer shrank my sweater.

Diminish

(intransitive) To disappear gradually.

Shrink

(intransitive) To become smaller; to contract.
This garment will shrink when wet.

Diminish

(transitive) To take away; to subtract.

Shrink

(intransitive) To cower or flinch.
Molly shrank away from the blows of the whip.

Diminish

To make smaller in any manner; to reduce in bulk or amount; to lessen; - opposed to augment or increase.
Not diminish, but rather increase, the debt.

Shrink

(transitive) To draw back; to withdraw.

Diminish

To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken.
This doth nothing diminish their opinion.
I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.
O thou . . . at whose sight all the starsHide their diminished heads.

Shrink

To withdraw or retire, as from danger.

Diminish

To make smaller by a half step; to make (an interval) less than minor; as, a diminished seventh.

Shrink

(intransitive) To move back or away, especially because of fear or disgust.

Diminish

To take away; to subtract.
Neither shall ye diminish aught from it.

Shrink

Shrinkage; contraction; recoil.

Diminish

To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen; as, the apparent size of an object diminishes as we recede from it.

Shrink

A psychiatrist or psychotherapist.
You need to see a shrink, you crazy fool.
My shrink said that he was an enabler, bad for me.

Diminish

Decrease in size, extent, or range;
The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester
The cabin pressure fell dramatically
Her weight fall to under a hundred pounds
His voice fell to a whisper

Shrink

Loss of inventory, for example due to shoplifting or not selling items before their expiration date.

Diminish

Lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of;
Don't belittle your colleagues

Shrink

To wrinkle, bend, or curl; to shrivel; hence, to contract into a less extent or compass; to gather together; to become compacted.
And on a broken reed he still did stayHis feeble steps, which shrunk when hard thereon he lay.
I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room.
Against this fire do I shrink up.
And shrink like parchment in consuming fire.
All the boards did shrink.

Shrink

To withdraw or retire, as from danger; to decline action from fear; to recoil, as in fear, horror, or distress.
What happier natures shrink at with affright,The hard inhabitant contends is right.
They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task.

Shrink

To express fear, horror, or pain by contracting the body, or part of it; to shudder; to quake.

Shrink

To cause to contract or shrink; as, to shrink finnel by imersing it in boiling water.

Shrink

To draw back; to withdraw.
The Libyc Hammon shrinks his horn.

Shrink

The act shrinking; shrinkage; contraction; also, recoil; withdrawal.
Yet almost wish, with sudden shrink,That I had less to praise.

Shrink

A psychiatrist.

Shrink

A physician who specializes in psychiatry

Shrink

Wither, especially with a loss of moisture;
The fruit dried and shriveled

Shrink

Draw back, as with fear or pain;
She flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf

Shrink

Reduce in size; reduce physically;
Hot water will shrink the sweater
Can you shrink this image?

Shrink

Become smaller or draw together;
The fabric shrank
The balloon shrank

Shrink

Decrease in size, range, or extent;
His earnings shrank
My courage shrivelled when I saw the task before me

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