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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

3 entries under this word

Sink

Sink, v. i.

verbintransitive

(82), v. i. [imp. & p. p. SUNK (the old imp. SANK is nearly obsolete); p. pr. & vb. n. SINKING.] [A-S. & O. Sax. sincan, O. H. Ger. sinchan, N. H. Ger. sinken, D. sinken, Dan. synke, Sw. sjunka, Goth. sigqan, Icel. & O. Fries. siga, O. Sax., A-S., & O. H. Ger. sigan, O. Ger. siegen, D. zijgen.] 1. To fall by the force of gravity; to descend lower and lower; to fall gradually; to subside. I sink in deep mire. Ps. lxix. 2. He sunk down in his chariot. 2 Kings xxiv. The Alps and Pyrenees sink before him. Addison. 2. To enter deeply; to fall or retire beneath or below the surface. The stone sunk into his forehead. 1 Sam. xvii. 49. 3. Hence, to be impressed; to enter so as to make an abiding impression. Let these sayings sink down into your ears. Luke ix. 44. 4. To be overwhelmed or depressed. Our country sinks beneath the yoke. Shak. 5. To fall in strength; to decline; to decay; to decrease. Let not the fire sink or slacken. Mortimer. 6. To decrease in volume, as a river; to become diminished in volume or quantity.

Sink, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. 1. To cause to sink; to put under water; to immerse in a fluid; as, to sink a ship. 2. To depress; to degrade. I mean not that we should sink our figure out of covetousness. Rogers. 3. To plunge into destruction. If I have a conscience, let it sink me. Shak.

  1. To make, by digging or delving; as, to sink a pit or a well.
  2. To bring low; to reduce in quantity; to waste.

You sunk the river with repeated draughts. Addison. 6. To cause to decline or fall. Thy cruel and unnatural lust of power Has sunk thy father more than all his years. Rowe. 7. To conceal; to intercept; to appropriate. If sent with ready money to buy any thing, and you happen to be out of pocket, sink the money, and take up the goods on account. Swift. 8. To keep out of sight; to suppress. He showed a courtly willingness to sink obnoxious truth. Robertson.

  1. To lower in value or amount; as, great importations may sink the price of goods.
  2. To reduce in amount; to diminish or annihilate by payment; as, to sink the national debt.

Sinking fund (Finance), a fund created for sinking or paying a public debt, or purchasing the stock for the government. Syn.—To fall; subside; drop; droop; lower; decline; decay; decrease; lessen.

Sink, n.

noun

n. 1. A drain to carry off filthy water; a jakes.

  1. A shallow box or vessel of wood, stone, iron, or other material, connected with a drain, and used for receiving filthy water, &c., as in a kitchen.
  2. A hole or depression in land or rock, where waters sink and are lost; — called also sink-hole. [U. S.] Bartlett.