Standard Lemma guide

shrank

noun · verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ʃɹæŋk/
  • Received-Pronunciation: [ʃɹwæŋk]
  • British, Midlands, Northern-England, Southern, Standard: /ʃɹaŋk/
  • British, Midlands, Southern, Standard: [ʃɹwaŋk]
  • Northern-England: [ʃɹwaŋk] ~ [ʃɹwäŋk]
  • Scotland, Wales: /ʃɾaŋk/
  • Scotland: [ʃɾäŋk]
  • Wales: [ʃɾaŋk]
  • /ˈʃɹeɪŋk/ US, Canada, æ-raising
  • [ʃɹweɪ̯ŋk] ~ [ʃɹwɛ̃ŋk] US, Canada, æ-raising
  • Australian: /ʃɹæːŋk/
  • [ʃɹæːŋk] without æ-raising
  • [ʃɹɛːŋk] ~ [ʃɹweŋk] æ-raising
  • UK: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • New-Zealand: /ʃɹɛŋk/
  • New-Zealand: [ʃɹɛːŋk]
  • rhymes with -æŋk
  • CMU ARPABET: SH R AE1 NG K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A large highly decorative German/Dutch-style piece of furniture, which combines aspects of a clothing wardrobe, curio, and cabinet.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Dutch, English, Pennsylvania, US

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

simple past of shrink

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, past

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Pennsylvania German; cognate to German Schrank.

See shrink.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: shrank — A decorative wooden wardrobe