sink

[ singk ]

verb (used without object)

, sank [sangk] or, often, sunk [suhngk]; sunk; sink·ing.

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 followed 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 followed 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 followed by in or into ):

   to sink into slumber.

9. to be or become deeply absorbed or involved in a mood or mental state (usually followed 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 followed 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.

verb (used with object)

, sank [sangk] or, often, sunk [suhngk]; sunk; sink·ing.

1. 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.

2. to cause to fall, drop, or descend gradually.
3. to cause to penetrate:

   to sink an ax into a tree trunk.

4. to lower or depress the level of:

   They sank the roadway by five feet.

5. to bury, plant, or lay (a pipe, conduit, etc.) into or as if into the ground.
6. to dig, bore, or excavate (a hole, shaft, well, etc.).
7. to bring to a worse or lower state or status.
8. to bring to utter ruin or collapse:

   Drinking and gambling sank him completely.

9. to reduce in amount, extent, intensity, etc.
10. to lower in volume, tone, or pitch.
11. to suppress; ignore; omit.
12. to invest in the hope of making a profit or gaining some other return:

    He sank all his efforts into the business.

13. to lose (money) in an unfortunate investment, enterprise, etc.
14. Sports.
    1. to throw, shoot, hit, or propel (a ball) so that it goes through or into the basket, hole, pocket, etc.:

       She sank the 10 ball into the side pocket.

    2. to execute (a stroke or throw) so that the ball goes through or into the basket, hole, pocket, etc.:

       to sink a putt; to sink a free throw.

noun

1. a basin or receptacle, as in a kitchen or laundry, usually connected with a water supply and drainage system, for washing dishes, clothing, etc.
2. a low-lying, poorly drained area where waters collect and sink into the ground or evaporate.
3. sinkhole ( def 2 ).
4. a place of vice or corruption.
5. a drain or sewer.
6. 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.
7. any pond or pit for sewage or waste, as a cesspool or a pool for industrial wastes.
8. any natural process by which contaminants are removed from the atmosphere.

sink

/ sɪŋk /

verb

1. to descend or cause to descend, esp beneath the surface of a liquid or soft substance
2. intr to appear to move down towards or descend below the horizon
3. intr to slope downwards; dip
4. intr; often foll by in or into to pass into or gradually enter a specified lower state or condition

   to sink into apathy

5. to make or become lower in volume, pitch, etc
6. to make or become lower in value, price, etc
7. intr to become weaker in health, strength, etc
8. to decline or cause to decline in moral value, worth, etc
9. intr to seep or penetrate
10. tr to suppress or conceal

    he sank his worries in drink

11. tr to dig, cut, drill, bore, or excavate (a hole, shaft, etc)
12. tr to drive into the ground

    to sink a stake

13. tr; usually foll by in or into
    1. to invest (money)
    2. to lose (money) in an unwise or unfortunate investment
14. tr to pay (a debt)
15. intr to become hollow; cave in

    his cheeks had sunk during his illness

16. tr to hit, throw, or propel (a ball) into a hole, basket, pocket, etc

    he sank a 15-foot putt

17. informal.
    tr to drink, esp quickly

    he sank three pints in half an hour

18. sink or swim
    sink or swim to take risks where the alternatives are loss and failure or security and success

noun

1. a fixed basin, esp in a kitchen, made of stone, earthenware, metal, etc, used for washing
2. See sinkhole
   See sinkhole
3. See cesspool
   another word for cesspool
4. a place of vice or corruption
5. an area of ground below that of the surrounding land, where water collects
6. physics a device or part of a system at which energy is removed from the system

   a heat sink

adjective

1. informal.
   (of a housing estate or school) deprived or having low standards of achievement

sink

/ sĭngk /

1. A part of the physical environment, or more generally any physical system, that absorbs some form of matter or energy. For example, a forest acts as a sink for carbon dioxide because it absorbs more of the gas in photosynthesis than it releases in respiration. Coral reefs are a long-lasting sink for carbon, which they sequester in their skeletons in the form of calcium carbonate.
2. Geology.
   1. See playa
   2. See sinkhole
   3. A circular depression on the flank of a volcano, caused by the collapse of a volcanic wall.

Derived Forms

• ˈsinkable, adjective

Other Words From

• sinka·ble adjective
• sinklike adjective
• half-sinking adjective
• non·sinka·ble adjective
• self-sinking adjective
• un·sinka·ble adjective
• un·sinking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sink¹

First recorded before 1000; (verb) Middle English sinken, Old English sincan; cognate with Dutch zinken, German sinken, Old Norse sǫkkva, Gothic singkwan; (noun) late Middle English: “cesspool,” derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of sink¹

Old English sincan; related to Old Norse sökkva to sink, Gothic siggan, Old High German sincan, Swedish sjunka

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. sink one's teeth into,
   1. to bite deeply or vigorously.
   2. to do or enter into with great enthusiasm, concentration, conviction, etc.:

      to sink my teeth into solving the problem.

More idioms and phrases containing sink

• desert a sinking ship
• enough to sink a ship
• everything but the kitchen sink
• heart sinks

Example Sentences

All the crystals trapped in the folds of the bag land in the sink and can be rinsed away.

From Washington Post

Keep a bottle in your bag, a couple by the kitchen and bathroom sinks, and another on your desk or near wherever you work.

From Popular-Science

They also consider carbon sinks—the ocean, soils, and vegetation—that absorb a little over half of human-generated carbon dioxide.

From Popular-Science

In September, the company told The Post that it had added 150 new safety measures, including portable sinks, thermal cameras and additional janitorial staff, to its facilities during the pandemic.

From Washington Post

By that time, heavier and more consistent rain is likely to take over as a cold front sinks into the region.

From Washington Post

At the same time, the heaviest parts—the main fuselage, the engines and wings—sink to the bottom.

From The Daily Beast

Within a matter of hours, the vessel that Mooney had crafted began to sink.

From The Daily Beast

And lo and behold, she was determined to sink the mining industry, and we were determined to fight for our community.

From The Daily Beast

“It was so opulent that no one ever thought it would sink, then boom—it was gone,” says Conway.

From The Daily Beast

I was stuck between the sink and the stove, which I thought was fantastic!

From The Daily Beast

If it continues the same we can continue to sink 20 fathoms per month, exclusive of the time it will take to fix the lifts.

From Project Gutenberg

She had looked into the kitchen and saw the dishes in the sink and the gaping stove hearth, and shook her head.

From Project Gutenberg

Such a clique of professional friends would sink a stronger man than Trevithick.

From Project Gutenberg

His gunners pelted the unwieldy budgerows with round shot until they began to sink.

From Project Gutenberg

Baroudi now let himself sink down a little, and rested his cheek upon his hand.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• capsize
• decline
• descend
• dig
• dip
• disappear
• drill
• drive
• drop
• drown
• fall
• go down
• lower
• overturn
• plummet
• plunge
• ram
• sag
• settle
• slump