different between shrink vs smal

English

Etymology

From Middle English shrinken, from Old English s?rincan, from Proto-Germanic *skrinkwan?. Cognate with Dutch schrinken (“to shrink”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?????k/
• Rhymes: -??k

Verb

shrink (third-person singular simple present shrinks, present participle shrinking, simple past shrank or shrunk, past participle shrunk or shrunken)

1. (transitive) To cause to become smaller.
2. (intransitive) To become smaller; to contract.
   • And shrink like parchment in consuming fire.

   • 2018, VOA Learning English > China's Melting Glacier Brings Visitors, Adds to Climate Concerns

     Since 1982, it has shrunk by 250 meters.

3. (intransitive) To cower or flinch.

4. (transitive) To draw back; to withdraw.
5. (intransitive, figuratively) To withdraw or retire, as from danger.
   • 1881, Benjamin Jowett (translator), Thucydides

     They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task.

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

Synonyms

• (avoid an unwanted task): funk, shirk
• (withdraw or retire, as from danger): shrink back, retreat

Antonyms

• (to cause to become smaller): expand, grow, enlarge, stretch
• (become smaller): expand, grow, enlarge, stretch

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

shrink (plural shrinks)

1. Shrinkage; contraction; recoil.
2. (slang, sometimes derogatory) A psychiatrist or psychotherapist.

   Synonym: head-shrinker

3. (uncountable, business) Loss of inventory, for example due to shoplifting or not selling items before their expiration date.
   • 2011, Charles Sennewald & John Christman, Retail Crime, Security, and Loss Prevention: An Encyclopedic Reference, p. 227:

     Assuming the retailer's shrink is average or below, and the owner is comfortable with the level of shrink, perhaps nothing more need be done except to maintain vigilance and to monitor the shrink for signs of emerging problems.

Usage notes

• (therapist): The slang sense was originally pejorative, expressing a distrust of practitioners in the field. It is now not as belittling or trivializing.

Translations

References

• shrink at OneLook Dictionary Search
• shrink in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Danish

Etymology

From late Old Norse smalr (“little”), from Proto-Germanic *smalaz. Compare with English small.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /smal/, [smal?]

Adjective

smal

1. narrow, thin
2. slim, slender

Inflection

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch smal, from Old Dutch smal, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz. Cognate with English small, German schmal, Old Norse smalr, Gothic ???????????????????? (smals).

Pronunciation

Adjective

smal (comparative smaller, superlative smalst)

1. narrow

Inflection

Derived terms

• versmallen

Descendants

• ? Papiamentu: smal

Anagrams

• mals

Middle English

Alternative forms

• smale, smalle, smel, smæl, small

Etymology

From Old English smæl, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /smal/, /sma?l/

Adjective

smal (plural and weak singular smale, comparative smalre, superlative smalest)

1. Small, miniscule.
2. Little, few, scarce.
3. Ground finely, not coarse.
4. Of no worth, unimportant.

Descendants

• English: small
• Scots: smal
• Yola: smaale

References

• “sm??l, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-02-23.

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Old Norse smalr, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz. Compare with English small.

Adjective

smal (neuter singular smalt, definite singular and plural smale, comparative smalere, indefinite superlative smalest, definite superlative smaleste)

1. narrow (having a small width)
2. slim (waist etc.)

Antonyms

• bred

Derived terms

• langsmal
• smalspor, smalsporet

Related terms

• smalne

References

• “smal” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse smalr, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz. Compare with English small.

Adjective

smal (neuter singular smalt, definite singular and plural smale, comparative smalare, indefinite superlative smalast, definite superlative smalaste)

1. narrow (having a small width)
2. slim (waist etc.)

Derived terms

• langsmal
• smalspor

References

• “smal” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *smalaz.

Adjective

smal

1. small

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: smal

Further reading

• “smal”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old High German

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *smal, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz, whence also Old English smæl, Old Norse smalr.

Adjective

smal

1. small

Descendants

• Middle High German: smal
  • German: schmal
  • Hunsrik: schmaal
  • Luxembourgish: schmuel
  • Vilamovian: ?mo?
  • Yiddish: ?????? (shmol)

Papiamentu

Etymology

From Dutch smal.

Adjective

smal

1. narrow

Polish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /smal/

Verb

smal

1. second-person singular imperative of smali?

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish smal, from Old Norse smalr, from Proto-Germanic *smalaz. Compare with English small.

Pronunciation

Adjective

smal (comparative smalare, superlative smalast)

1. thin, slim, narrow in size

   Antonym: bred

2. skinny

   Antonyms: tjock, fet

Declension

Derived terms

• smalmat
• smalspår
• trådsmal

Anagrams

• alms, mals