1
sb/sth shrinks
不及物用法，主语自己变小；过去式是 shrank，过去分词是 shrunk，也可写作 shrunken。
The fabric shrinks when it gets wet.
这种布料遇水会缩水。
缩小；收缩
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
缩小；收缩
To become smaller or contract.
The fabric shrinks when it gets wet.
这种布料遇水会缩水。
使变小
To cause to become smaller.
变小；收缩
To become smaller; to contract.
畏缩或退缩
To cower or flinch.
退缩；撤退
To draw back; to withdraw.
shrink
Base
原形
shrinks
3rd person
第三人称单数
shrinking
-ing
现在分词
shrank
Past
过去式
shrunk
Past participle
过去分词
The sweater shrinks in hot water.
这种毛衣在热水中缩水。
Yesterday, my shirt shrank after washing.
昨天我的衬衫洗后缩水了。
His confidence has shrunk over time.
他的信心随着时间逐渐减弱。
Wool sweaters often shrink in hot water.
羊毛衫在热水中常常会缩水。
The ice on the lake shrank as the temperature rose.
随着气温升高，湖面上的冰缩小了。
My jeans have shrunk after being washed in warm water.
我的牛仔裤用温水洗过后缩水了。
不及物用法，主语自己变小；过去式是 shrank，过去分词是 shrunk，也可写作 shrunken。
The fabric shrinks when it gets wet.
这种布料遇水会缩水。
及物用法，主语使宾语变小；注意不要与不及物用法混淆。
Hot water shrank my wool sweater.
热水让我的羊毛衫缩水了。
表示因害怕、厌恶等而回避做某事；from 后接名词或动名词。
She never shrank from telling the truth.
她从不在讲真话面前退缩。
强调因恐惧或厌恶而身体向后或向旁退缩，与表示抽象回避的 shrink from 不同。
He shrank back in horror when he saw the spider.
他看到蜘蛛时吓得向后缩。
Not this
The sweater shrinked in the wash.
Use this
The sweater shrank in the wash.
shrink 是不规则动词，过去式是 shrank，不能按规则动词加 -ed 变成 shrinked。
Not this
She shrank telling the truth.
Use this
She shrank from telling the truth.
表示“畏缩、退缩而不做某事”时，shrink 是不及物动词，须接 from + 动名词来引出回避的对象；不能直接跟动名词作宾语。
Not this
I have shrank the report to one page.
Use this
I have shrunk the report to one page.
shrink 的过去分词是 shrunk（不是 shrank）；在 have/has + 过去分词的现在完成时中必须用 shrunk。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
畏缩后退
She shrank back from the snake.
她看见蛇便吓得向后退缩。
畏缩回避；不敢面对
We must not shrink from our responsibilities.
我们绝不能畏缩逃避自己的责任。
洗后缩水
This T-shirt shrank in the wash.
这件T恤洗后缩水了。
迅速缩小；急剧萎缩
The glacier is shrinking rapidly.
冰川正在迅速缩小。
压缩…的规模；缩减…的规模
We need to shrink the size of the meeting.
我们需要缩减会议的规模。
回避；畏缩
He did not shrink from telling the truth.
他没有回避说出真相。
畏缩后退
She shrank back when the dog barked.
狗叫时她畏缩后退。
变得沉默退缩
After the humiliation, he shrank into himself.
受辱之后，他变得沉默退缩。
亲爱的，我把孩子们缩小了。
This is the famous line from the 1989 Disney comedy film 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.' The scientist father invents a shrinking machine and accidentally shrinks his children.
这是1989年迪士尼喜剧电影《亲爱的，我把孩子们缩小了》中的著名台词。科学家父亲发明了一台缩小机，意外把孩子们缩小了。
Use shrink naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
shrink 里有 rink（溜冰场）：冰一暖就缩小，人因害怕而退缩。记住“缩”与“退”两个意思。
语域：mixed 常见场景：日常对话与一般书面语、文学或正式描写 作核心义“变小/收缩”用时通常为中性，日常和一般书面都自然；作“退缩/畏缩”用时比较常见于书面或文学性描述，日常口语中较少单独这样用。
可作及物或不及物动词；作不及物时常用shrink from表示退缩。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.