Word: sink Part of Speech: verb Etymology: From Middle English synken, from Old English sincan, from Proto-West Germanic *sinkwan, from Proto-Germanic *sinkwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sengʷ- (“to fall, sink”). Compare West Frisian sinke, Low German sinken, Dutch zinken, German sinken, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål synke, Swedish sjunka. In the causative sense, it replaced Old English senċan (“make sink”) from Proto-Germanic *sankwijaną. Pronunciation: /ˈsɪŋk/, /ˈsiŋk/, /zɪŋk/ 1. To move or be moved into something. Labels: ergative, physical Example: A stone sinks in water. The sun gradually sank in the west. 2. To move or be moved into something. Labels: physical, transitive Example: An iceberg sank the Titanic. British battleships sank the Bismarck. 3. To move or be moved into something. Labels: physical, transitive Example: Before installing the new surfacing material, sink any protruding nails. Example: I have to take the turn, sink hooks and nails so I'll return And it could get me every time, but I must taste fire Infectious is the flame that burns 4. To move or be moved into something. Labels: physical, transitive Example: to sink a well in the ground Example: As was the case with the City & South London, powers were taken to sink shafts from temporary staging in the river, about 240 ft. from the south bank, from which to begin boring the tunnels, and the first pile for the staging was driven on June 18, 1894. 5. To move or be moved into something. Labels: physical, transitive Example: My sister beats me at pool in public a second time. I claim some dignity back by potting two of my balls before Tammy sinks the black. 6. To diminish or be diminished. Labels: figuratively, intransitive Example: But open converse is there none, ⁠So much the vital spirits sink ⁠To see the vacant chair, and think, ‘How good! how kind! and he is gone.’ Example: I tried, but I could not wake him. This caused me a great fear, and I looked around terrified. Then indeed, my heart sank within me. Beside the bed, as if he had stepped out of the mist, or rather as if the mist had turned into his figure, for it had entirely disappeared, stood a tall, thin man, all in black. 7. To diminish or be diminished. Labels: figuratively, transitive Example: to sink one's reputation Example: And if I have a conscience, let it sink me 8. To diminish or be diminished. Labels: intransitive Example: Who would sink so low as to steal change from veterans? 9. To conceal and appropriate. Labels: archaic, slang, transitive Example: If you are sent with ready money to buy anything at a shop, and happen at that time to be out of pocket, sink the money, and take up the goods on your master's account. 10. To keep out of sight; to suppress; to ignore. Labels: archaic, slang, transitive Example: I say not always dishonorable qualifications, but a certain flexibility of disposition; a certain courtly willingness to sink obnoxious truths, and adapt ourselves to the prejudices of the minds of others […] 11. To drink (especially something alcoholic). Labels: slang, transitive Example: So let's sink another drink / 'Cause it'll give me time to think Example: […] just thought she was wrecked from all the Diamond White ciders she'd been sinking – I'd even bought her a couple of Blastaways, which in hindsight was a mistake. 12. To pay absolutely. Labels: slang, transitive Example: I have sunk thousands of pounds into this project. Example: for 13 of his 15 years in charge, Burrell sank more money into the farm than he received in revenues, and the estate was £1.5m overdrawn. 13. To reduce or extinguish by payment. Labels: archaic, slang, transitive Example: to sink the national debt 14. To be overwhelmed or depressed; to fail in strength. Labels: intransitive Example: I think our country sinks beneath the yoke. Example: then keep an even steady Fire under them, not too fierce at first, lest you scorch them; and let not the Fire sink or slacken, but rather increase till the Hops be near dry'd 15. To die. Labels: archaic, intransitive Example: However, before the entire mass was detached, a copious oozing of blood took place, when the patient lost from a pint to a pint and a half; and which, doubtless, so lowered him that he never rallied, but sank in about an hour and a half after the operation was completed. Example: […] as September drew towards its close, and reports came from Munich that Gömbös was sinking fast, the Right in their turn were credited by the Prager Presse and by certain foreign journalists, who drew their inspiration from the same sources, with sensational designs. 16. To decrease in volume, as a river; to subside; to become diminished in volume or in apparent height. Labels: intransitive Example: The Alps and Pyreneans sink before him: / Through wind and waves, and storms he works his way Example: It was not far from the house; but the ground sank into a depression there, and the ridge of it behind shut out everything except just the roof of the tallest hayrick. As one sat on the sward behind the elm, with the back turned on the rick and nothing in front but the tall elms and the oaks in the other hedge, it was quite easy to fancy it the verge of the prairie with the backwoods close by.