sink

I. verb (sank or sunk; sunk; sinking) Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sincan; akin to Old High German sinkan to sink Date: before 12th century intransitive verb 1. a. to go to the bottom ; submerge b. to become partly buried (as in mud) c. to become engulfed 2. a. (1) to fall or drop to a lower place or level (2) to flow at a lower depth or level (3) to burn with lower intensity (4) to fall to a lower pitch or volume <

his voice sank to a whisper

> b. to subside gradually ; settle c. to disappear from view d. to slope gradually ; dip 3. a. to soak or become absorbed ; penetrate b. to become impressively known or felt <

the lesson had sunk in

> 4. to become deeply absorbed <

sank into reverie

> 5. a. to go downward in quality, state, or condition b. to grow less in amount or worth 6. a. to fall or drop slowly for lack of strength b. to become depressed c. to fail in health or strength; broadly fail transitive verb 1. a. to cause to sink <

sink a battleship

> b. to force down especially below the earth's surface c. to cause (something) to penetrate 2. immerse, absorb <

he sank himself into his studies

> 3. a. to dig or bore (a well or shaft) in the earth ; excavate b. to form by cutting or excising <

sink words in stone

> 4. to cast down or bring to a low condition or state ; overwhelm, defeat 5. to lower in standing or reputation ; abase 6. a. to lessen in value or amount b. to lower or soften (the voice) in speaking 7. restrain, suppress <

sinks her pride and approaches the despised neighbor — Richard Harrison

> 8. to pay off (as a debt) ; liquidate 9. invest 1 10. drop 7c <

sink a putt

> <

sink a jump shot

> 11. chiefly British to drink down completely • sinkable adjective II. noun Date: 15th century 1. a. a pool or pit for the deposit of waste or sewage ; cesspool b. a ditch or tunnel for carrying off sewage ; sewer c. a stationary basin connected with a drain and usually a water supply for washing and drainage 2. a place where vice, corruption, or evil collects 3. sump 3 4. a. a depression in the land surface; especially one having a saline lake with no outlet b. sinkhole 5. a body or process that acts as a storage device or disposal mechanism: as a. heat sink; broadly a device that collects or dissipates energy (as radiation) b. a reactant with or absorber of a substance <

forests are a sink for carbon dioxide

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