Emily Dickinson Lexicon

shred (-s), n. [OE 'hair-cutting, clipping of coin, cut-off piece, width of linen'.]

1. Cuttings; remains; remnant; thread; wisp; thing left over.
2. Scrap; snatch; piece; [fig.] phrase; fragment; broken sentence; word string.

shrewd (-er), adj. [ME, probably < shrew, 'crabbed, dogged, wicked, cursed'.]

1. Clever; cunning; crafty; expedient; mischievously wise.
2. Cautious; careful; cynical; doubtful; skeptical; less naive; less trusting.

shrewd, n. [see shrewd, adj.]

Expert; businessman; speculator; buccaneer; pirate; cunning person.

shrewdly (shrewd), adv. [see shrewd, adj.]

Keenly; perceptively; cautiously.

shriek, n. [Parallel to screak, v. < ON possibly echoic.]

Loud games; high-pitched laughter; [fig.] grief; keening; death cry.

shriek, v. [see shriek, n.]

Screech; cry wildly; scream because of pain.

shrill, adj. [ME, related to Gr. 'of sharp tone or taste'.]

1. Sharp; piercing; making a long high-pitched sound; [possibly adverbial] intensely; sharply; piercingly; keenly; excruciatingly.
2. Piping; penetrating; thrilling; acute; loud and high; [fig.] trilling; whistling.

shrine, n. [OE < L. scrinium, case or chest for books or papers.] (webplay: thee).

1. Reliquary; chest; ark; receptacle for sacred objects as part of a place of worship; [fig.] tomb; burial monument; final resting place.
2. Sanctuary; cell; cubicle; refuge; retreat; haven; hideaway; quiet room.
3. Case; box; display cabinet.
4. Tabernacle; chapel; [fig.] body; dwelling place for the human heart.

shrink (-ing, shrank, shrunken), v. [OE.]

1. Diminish; decrease; lessen; experience a reduction; [fig.] dry up; lose volume; [metaphor] become subject to writer's block.
2. Avoid; withdraw; draw back.
3. Reduce in size; decrease in volume; diminish in extent.
4. Cringe; flinch; wince; back away; recoil for lack of courage.

shrinking, verbal adj. [see shrink, v.] (webplay: affright).

Shy; modest; private; unpretentious; retiring; withdrawing from view.