Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SHRIGHT, pp.

for Shrieked. – Chaucer.

SHRIKE, n. [See Shriek.]

The butcher-bird; a genus of birds called Lanius, of several species.

SHRILL, a. [W. grill, a sharp noise; Arm. scrilh; a cricket, L. gryllus, Fr. grillon, Sp. and It. grillo; It. strillare, to scream.]

1. Sharp; acute; piercing; as sound; as, a shrill voice; shrill echoes. – Shak.
2. Uttering an acute sound; as, the cock's shrill sounding throat; a shrill trumpet. Note. A shrill sound may be tremulous or trilling; but this circumstance is not essential to it, although it seems to be from the root of trill.

SHRILL, v.i.

To utter an acute piercing sound. Break we our pipes that shrill'd as loud as lark. – Spenser.

SHRILL, v.t.

To cause to make a shrill sound. – Spenser.

SHRILL'NESS, n.

Acuteness of sound; sharpness or fineness of voice. Smith.

SHRIL'LY, adv.

Acutely, as sound; with a sharp sound or voice. More.

SHRIMP, n. [supra.]

1. A crustaceous animal of the original genus Cancer. It has long slender feelers, claws with a single, booked fang, and three pair of legs. It is esteemed delicious food.
2. A little wrinkled man; a dwarf; in contempt. – Shak.

SHRIMP, v.t. [D. krimpen; Dan. skrumper, to crumple, to shrink; G. schrumpfen; W. crom, crwm, bending or shrinking in.]

To contract. [Not in use.] – Echard.

SHRINE, n. [Sax. scrin; G. schrein; Sw. skrin; L. scrinium; It. scrigno; Fr. ecrin. See Skreen.]

A case or box particularly applied to a case in which sacred things are deposited. Hence we hear much of shrines for relics. Come, offer at my shrine, and I will help thee. – Shak.

SHRINK, n.

1. Contraction; a spontaneous drawing into a less compass; corrugation. – Woodward.
2. Contraction; a withdrawing from fear or horror. – Daniel.

SHRINK, v.i. [pret. and pp. shrunk. The old pret. shrank and pp. shrunken are nearly obsolete. Sax. scrincan. If n is not radical, the root is rig or ryg.]

1. To contract spontaneously; to draw or be drawn into less length, breadth or compass by an inherent power; as, woolen cloth shrinks in hot water; a flaxen or hempen line shrinks in a humid atmosphere. Many substances shrink by drying.
2. To shrivel; to become wrinkled by contraction; as the skin.
3. To withdraw or retire, as from danger; to decline action from fear. A brave man never shrinks from danger; a good man does not shrink from duty.
4. To recoil, as in fear, horror or distress. My mind shrinks from the recital of our woes. What happier natures shrink at with affright, / The hard inhabitant contends is right. – Pope.
5. To express fear, horror or pain by shrugging or contracting the body. – Shak.

SHRINK, v.t.

To cause to contract; as, to shrink flannel by immersing it in boiling water. O mighty Cesar, dost thou lie so low! / Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, / Shrunk to this little measure! – Shak.

SHRINK'AGE, n.

A shrinking or contraction into less compass. Make an allowance for the shrinkage of grain in drying.

SHRINK'ER, n.

One that shrinks; one that withdraws from danger.

SHRINK'ING, n.

The act of drawing back through fear.

SHRINK'ING, ppr.

Contracting; drawing together; with-drawing from danger; declining to act from fear; causing to contract.

SHRINK'ING-LY, adv.

by shrinking.

SHRIV'AL-TY, n. [See SHRIEVALTY.]

SHRIVE, v.t. [Sax. scrifan, to take a confession. But the sense seems to be to enjoin or impose penance, or simply to enjoin.]

To hear or receive the confession of; to administer confession; as a priest. He shrives this woman. [Obs.] Shak.

SHRIV'EL, v.i. [shriv'l; from the root of rivel, Sax. gerifled.]

To contract; to draw or be drawn into wrinkles; to shrink and form corrugations; as, a leaf shrivels in the hot sun; the skin shrivels with age.

SHRIV'EL, v.t.

To contract into wrinkles; to cause to shrink into corrugations. A scorching sun shrivels the blades of corn. And shrivel'd herbs on withering stems decay. – Dryden.

SHRIV'EL-ED, pp.

Contracted into wrinkles.

SHRIV'EL-ING, ppr.

Contracting into wrinkles.

SHRIV'ER, n. [from shrive.]

A confessor. [Obs.] – Shak.