/ʃrɪŋk ||; ʃrɪŋk/verb (
past tense shrank /ʃræŋk
||; ʃræŋk/
or shrunk /ʃrʌŋk
||; ʃrʌŋk/
past participle shrunk)
1 [I,T] to become smaller or make sth smaller （使）收缩，变小: My T-shirt shrank in the wash. 我的T恤衫洗后缩水了。Television has shrunk the world. 电视把世界缩小了。The rate of inflation has shrunk to 4%. 通胀率已降至4%。
2 [I] to move back because you are frightened or shocked （因惊吓）退缩: We shrank back against the wall when the dog appeared. 我们一看到那只狗便吓得缩到墙边。
shrink from sth/doing sth to not want to do sth because you find it unpleasant 退缩；回避