shrivel

shrivel
shriv|el [ `ʃrıvl ] (present participle shriv|el|ing or shriv|el|ling; past tense and past participle shriv|eled or shriv|elled) or ,shrivel `up verb
1. ) intransitive if something such as a plant shrivels or shrivels up, it becomes smaller and thinner than usual and it does not look fresh and healthy:
The leaves had shriveled up in the summer heat.
a ) transitive to make something smaller and thinner than usual:
The fierce heat had shriveled the meat.
2. ) intransitive to become weaker or smaller in amount:
Funding for the project eventually shriveled up.
a ) transitive to make something weaker or smaller in amount:
Her angry tone had shriveled any confidence he had left.

Usage of the words and phrases in modern English. 2013.

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Synonyms:
, , , , , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • shrivel — UK [ˈʃrɪv(ə)l] / US or shrivel up UK / US verb Word forms shrivel : present tense I/you/we/they shrivel he/she/it shrivels present participle shrivelling past tense shrivelled past participle shrivelled 1) a) [intransitive] if something such as a …   English dictionary

  • shrivel up — shrivel UK [ˈʃrɪv(ə)l] / US or shrivel up UK / US verb Word forms shrivel : present tense I/you/we/they shrivel he/she/it shrivels present participle shrivelling past tense shrivelled past participle shrivelled 1) a) [intransitive] if something… …   English dictionary

  • Shrivel — Shriv el, v. t. To cause to shrivel or contract; to cause to shrink onto corruptions. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shrivel — 1560s (implied in shriveled), of unknown origin, perhaps from a Scandinavian source (Cf. Swed. skryvla to wrinkle, to shrivel ) …   Etymology dictionary

  • Shrivel — Shriv el, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Shriveled}or {Shrivelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Shriveling} or {Shrivelling}.] [Probably akin to shrimp, shrink; cf. dial. AS. screpa to pine away, Norw. skrypa to waste, skryp, skryv, transitory, frail, Sw. skr[… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • shrivel — index decay, degenerate Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • shrivel — *wither, wizen Analogous words: parch, desiccate, *dry: sear, scorch, *burn …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • shrivel — has inflected forms shrivelled, shrivelling, and in AmE usually shriveled, shriveling …   Modern English usage

  • shrivel — [v] dehydrate, dry up burn, contract, desiccate, dwindle, fossilize, mummify, mummy, parch, scorch, sear, shrink, stale, welter, wilt, wither, wizen, wrinkle; concepts 137,250,255 Ant. enlarge, expand, grow, unwrinkle …   New thesaurus

  • shrivel — ► VERB (shrivelled, shrivelling; US shriveled, shriveling) ▪ wrinkle and contract through loss of moisture. ORIGIN perhaps Scandinavian …   English terms dictionary

  • shrivel — [shriv′əl] vt., vi. shriveled or shrivelled, shriveling or shrivelling [Early ModE, prob. < Scand, as in Swed dial. skryvla, to wrinkle] 1. to shrink and make or become wrinkled or withered 2. to make or become helpless, useless, or… …   English World dictionary

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