Words of the Day 10/15

shrink(verb)

past tense- shrank / past participle- shrunk   

1. [I,T] to become smaller or to make something smaller through the effects of heat or water （使）縮小﹐（使）收縮


Hot water shrinks woollen clothes .  
熱水會使羊毛衣服縮水。 

Will it shrink if I wash it ?
它會縮水嗎？ 

2. [I,T] to become smaller in amount, size or value 〔數量﹑體積或價值〕變小﹐減少﹐縮小


The number of students has shrunk from 120 to 70 .  
學生人數已從120人減至70人。 

The shrinking pound damages the tourist trade .  
日益貶值的英鎊使旅遊業遭受損失。
The productivity improvements have shrunk our costs by 25 percent.

3. especially literary -to move back and away from something, especially because you are frightened 【尤用於文學】〔因恐懼而〕退縮﹐畏縮
  
[+back/away/from]

Jenny shrank back against the wall in horror .   詹妮害怕地後退﹐背靠着牆。