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sink
[ singk ]
verb (used without object)
- to displace part of the volume of a supporting substance or object and become totally or partially submerged or enveloped; fall or descend into or below the surface or to the bottom (often followed by in or into ):
The battleship sank within two hours. His foot sank in the mud. Her head sinks into the pillows.
- to fall, drop, or descend gradually to a lower level:
The river sank two feet during the dry spell.
- to settle or fall gradually, as a heavy structure:
The tower is slowly sinking.
- to fall or collapse slowly from weakness, fatigue, distress, etc.:
He gasped and sank to his knees.
- to slope downward; dip:
The field sinks toward the highway.
- to go down toward or below the horizon:
the sun sinks in the west.
- to penetrate, permeate, or seep (usually followed by in or into ):
Wipe the oil off before it sinks into the wood.
- to become engulfed or absorbed in or gradually to enter a state (usually followed by in or into ):
to sink into slumber.
- to be or become deeply absorbed or involved in a mood or mental state (usually followed by in or into ):
sunk in thought. She sank into despair.
- to pass or fall into some lower state, as of fortune, estimation, etc.; degenerate:
to sink into poverty.
- to decline or deteriorate in quality or worth.
- to fail in physical strength or health.
- to decrease in amount, extent, intensity, etc.:
The temperature sank to 30° at noon.
- to become lower in volume, tone, or pitch:
Her voice sank to a whisper.
- to enter or permeate the mind; become known or understood (usually followed by in or into ):
He said it four times before the words really sank in.
- to become concave; become hollow, as the cheeks.
- to drop or fall gradually into a lower position:
He sank down on the bench.
verb (used with object)
- to cause to become submerged or enveloped; force into or below the surface; cause to plunge in or down:
The submarine sank the battleship. He sank his fist into the pillow.
- to cause to fall, drop, or descend gradually.
- to cause to penetrate:
to sink an ax into a tree trunk.
- to lower or depress the level of:
They sank the roadway by five feet.
- to bury, plant, or lay (a pipe, conduit, etc.) into or as if into the ground.
- to dig, bore, or excavate (a hole, shaft, well, etc.).
- to bring to a worse or lower state or status.
- to bring to utter ruin or collapse:
Drinking and gambling sank him completely.
- to reduce in amount, extent, intensity, etc.
- to lower in volume, tone, or pitch.
- to suppress; ignore; omit.
- to invest in the hope of making a profit or gaining some other return:
He sank all his efforts into the business.
- to lose (money) in an unfortunate investment, enterprise, etc.
- Sports.
- to throw, shoot, hit, or propel (a ball) so that it goes through or into the basket, hole, pocket, etc.:
She sank the 10 ball into the side pocket.
- to execute (a stroke or throw) so that the ball goes through or into the basket, hole, pocket, etc.:
to sink a putt; to sink a free throw.
noun
- a basin or receptacle, as in a kitchen or laundry, usually connected with a water supply and drainage system, for washing dishes, clothing, etc.
- a low-lying, poorly drained area where waters collect and sink into the ground or evaporate.
- a place of vice or corruption.
- a drain or sewer.
- a device or place for disposing of energy within a system, as a power-consuming device in an electrical circuit or a condenser in a steam engine.
- any pond or pit for sewage or waste, as a cesspool or a pool for industrial wastes.
- any natural process by which contaminants are removed from the atmosphere.
sink
/ sɪŋk /
verb
- to descend or cause to descend, esp beneath the surface of a liquid or soft substance
- intr to appear to move down towards or descend below the horizon
- intr to slope downwards; dip
- intr; often foll by in or into to pass into or gradually enter a specified lower state or condition
to sink into apathy
- to make or become lower in volume, pitch, etc
- to make or become lower in value, price, etc
- intr to become weaker in health, strength, etc
- to decline or cause to decline in moral value, worth, etc
- intr to seep or penetrate
- tr to suppress or conceal
he sank his worries in drink
- tr to dig, cut, drill, bore, or excavate (a hole, shaft, etc)
- tr to drive into the ground
to sink a stake
- tr; usually foll by in or into
- to invest (money)
- to lose (money) in an unwise or unfortunate investment
- tr to pay (a debt)
- intr to become hollow; cave in
his cheeks had sunk during his illness
- tr to hit, throw, or propel (a ball) into a hole, basket, pocket, etc
he sank a 15-foot putt
- informal.tr to drink, esp quickly
he sank three pints in half an hour
- sink or swimto take risks where the alternatives are loss and failure or security and success
noun
- a fixed basin, esp in a kitchen, made of stone, earthenware, metal, etc, used for washing
- See sinkhole
- another word for cesspool
- a place of vice or corruption
- an area of ground below that of the surrounding land, where water collects
- physics a device or part of a system at which energy is removed from the system
a heat sink
adjective
- informal.(of a housing estate or school) deprived or having low standards of achievement
sink
/ sĭngk /
- A part of the physical environment, or more generally any physical system, that absorbs some form of matter or energy. For example, a forest acts as a sink for carbon dioxide because it absorbs more of the gas in photosynthesis than it releases in respiration. Coral reefs are a long-lasting sink for carbon, which they sequester in their skeletons in the form of calcium carbonate.
- Geology.
Derived Forms
- ˈsinkable, adjective
Other Words From
- sinka·ble adjective
- sinklike adjective
- half-sinking adjective
- non·sinka·ble adjective
- self-sinking adjective
- un·sinka·ble adjective
- un·sinking adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of sink1
Word History and Origins
Origin of sink1
Idioms and Phrases
- sink one's teeth into,
- to bite deeply or vigorously.
- to do or enter into with great enthusiasm, concentration, conviction, etc.:
to sink my teeth into solving the problem.
More idioms and phrases containing sink
- desert a sinking ship
- enough to sink a ship
- everything but the kitchen sink
- heart sinks
Example Sentences
China’s economy is sluggish, its property sector is sinking, nearly 20% of its young people are struggling to find jobs and it has one of the world’s fastest growing ageing populations.
The science of net zero, developed over 15 years ago,* does not include these natural carbon sinks in the definition of net human-induced CO2 emissions.
Over the last year you could be forgiven for thinking things could not sink any lower.
Wales sank to an all-time results low in their 143-year international rugby history with a record defeat by Australia in Cardiff.
It set off at full speed and reached the Titanic two hours after it had sank in the North Atlantic on 15 April 1912.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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