verb, sank or, often, sunk; sunk or sunk⋅en; sink⋅ing; noun | 1. | to displace part of the volume of a supporting substance or object and become totally or partially submerged or enveloped; fall or descend into or below the surface or to the bottom (often fol. by in or into): The battleship sank within two hours. His foot sank in the mud. Her head sinks into the pillows. |
| 2. | to fall, drop, or descend gradually to a lower level: The river sank two feet during the dry spell. |
| 3. | to settle or fall gradually, as a heavy structure: The tower is slowly sinking. |
| 4. | to fall or collapse slowly from weakness, fatigue, distress, etc.: He gasped and sank to his knees. |
| 5. | to slope downward; dip: The field sinks toward the highway. |
| 6. | to go down toward or below the horizon: the sun sinks in the west. |
| 7. | to penetrate, permeate, or seep (usually fol. by in or into): Wipe the oil off before it sinks into the wood. |
| 8. | to become engulfed or absorbed in or gradually to enter a state (usually fol. by in or into): to sink into slumber. |
| 9. | to be or become deeply absorbed or involved in a mood or mental state (usually fol. by in or into): sunk in thought. She sank into despair. |
| 10. | to pass or fall into some lower state, as of fortune, estimation, etc.; degenerate: to sink into poverty. |
| 11. | to decline or deteriorate in quality or worth. |
| 12. | to fail in physical strength or health. |
| 13. | to decrease in amount, extent, intensity, etc.: The temperature sank to 30° at noon. |
| 14. | to become lower in volume, tone, or pitch: Her voice sank to a whisper. |
| 15. | to enter or permeate the mind; become known or understood (usually fol. by in or into): He said it four times before the words really sank in. |
| 16. | to become concave; become hollow, as the cheeks. |
| 17. | to drop or fall gradually into a lower position: He sank down on the bench. |
| 18. | to cause to become submerged or enveloped; force into or below the surface; cause to plunge in or down: The submarine sank the battleship. He sank his fist into the pillow. |
| 19. | to cause to fall, drop, or descend gradually. |
| 20. | to cause to penetrate: to sink an ax into a tree trunk. |
| 21. | to lower or depress the level of: They sank the roadway by five feet. |
| 22. | to bury, plant, or lay (a pipe, conduit, etc.) into or as if into the ground. |
| 23. | to dig, bore, or excavate (a hole, shaft, well, etc.). |
| 24. | to bring to a worse or lower state or status. |
| 25. | to bring to utter ruin or collapse: Drinking and gambling sank him completely. |
| 26. | to reduce in amount, extent, intensity, etc. |
| 27. | to lower in volume, tone, or pitch. |
| 28. | to suppress; ignore; omit. |
| 29. | to invest in the hope of making a profit or gaining some other return: He sank all his efforts into the business. |
| 30. | to lose (money) in an unfortunate investment, enterprise, etc. |
| 31. | Sports.
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| 32. | a basin or receptacle, as in a kitchen or laundry, usually connected with a water supply and drainage system, for washing dishes, clothing, etc. |
| 33. | a low-lying, poorly drained area where waters collect and sink into the ground or evaporate. |
| 34. | sinkhole (def. 2). |
| 35. | a place of vice or corruption. |
| 36. | a drain or sewer. |
| 37. | a device or place for disposing of energy within a system, as a power-consuming device in an electrical circuit or a condenser in a steam engine. |
| 38. | any pond or pit for sewage or waste, as a cesspool or a pool for industrial wastes. |
| 39. | any natural process by which contaminants are removed from the atmosphere. |
| 40. | sink one's teeth into,
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sink
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sink
In addition to the idioms beginning with sink, also see desert a sinking ship; enough to sink a ship; everything but the kitchen sink; heart sinks.
| SINK single income, no kids |