Shrink \Shrink\, v. i. [imp. Shrankor Shrunkp. p. Shrunk or Shrunken, but the latter is now seldom used except as a participial adjective; p. pr. & vb. n. Shrinking.]

[OE. shrinken, schrinken, AS. scrincan; akin to OD. schrincken, and probably to Sw. skrynka a wrinkle, skrynkla to wrinkle, to rumple, and E. shrimp, n. & v., scrimp. CF. Shrimp.]

1. 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 stay His feeble steps, which shrunk when hard thereon he lay. --Spenser.

I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room. --Bacon.

Against this fire do I shrink up. --Shak.

And shrink like parchment in consuming fire. --Dryden.

All the boards did shrink. --Coleridge.

2. 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. --Pope.

They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task. --Jowett (Thucyd.)

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

--Shak.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)