n. [ OE. schrin, AS. scrīn, from L. scrinium a case, chest, box. ] 1. A case, box, or receptacle, especially one in which are deposited sacred relics, as the bones of a saint. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Any sacred place, as an altar, tromb, or the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

Too weak the sacred shrine guard. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A place or object hallowed from its history or associations; as, a shrine of art. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Short for
Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, a secret fraternal organization professedly originated by one Kalif Alu, a son-in-law of Mohammed, at Mecca, in the year of the Hegira 25 (about 646 a. d.) In the modern order, established in the United States in 1872, only Knights Templars or thirty-second degree Masons are eligible for admission, though the order itself is not Masonic. A member of the order is popularly called a Shriner, and the order itself is sometimes called the Shriners. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]

v. t. To enshrine; to place reverently, as in a shrine. “Shrined in his sanctuary.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. See shrine{ 4 }. [ PJC ]

v. t. 1. To cause to contract or shrink; as, to shrink finnel by imersing it in boiling water. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To draw back; to withdraw. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The Libyc Hammon shrinks his horn. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

To shrink on (Mach.), to fix (one piece or part) firmly around (another) by natural contraction in cooling, as a tire on a wheel, or a hoop upon a cannon, which is made slightly smaller than the part it is to fit, and expanded by heat till it can be slipped into place. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act shrinking; shrinkage; contraction; also, recoil; withdrawal. [ 1913 Webster ]

Yet almost wish, with sudden shrink,
That I had less to praise. Leigh Hunt. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. [ Contraction of head-shrinker, a colloquial term for psychiatrist. ] a psychiatrist. [ Coll. ] [ PJC ]

v. i. [ imp. Shrank r Shrunk pos>p. p. Shrunk or Shrunken but the latter is now seldom used except as a participial adjective; p. pr. & vb. n. Shrinking. ] [ OE. shrinken, schrinken, AS. scrincan; akin to OD. schrincken, and probably to Sw. skrynka a wrinkle, skrynkla to wrinkle, to rumple, and E. shrimp, n. & v., scrimp. CF. Shrimp. ] 1. To wrinkle, bend, or curl; to shrivel; hence, to contract into a less extent or compass; to gather together; to become compacted. [ 1913 Webster ]

And on a broken reed he still did stay
His feeble steps, which shrunk when hard thereon he lay. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have not found that water, by mixture of ashes, will shrink or draw into less room. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Against this fire do I shrink up. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

And shrink like parchment in consuming fire. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

All the boards did shrink. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To withdraw or retire, as from danger; to decline action from fear; to recoil, as in fear, horror, or distress. [ 1913 Webster ]

What happier natures shrink at with affright,
The hard inhabitant contends is right. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

They assisted us against the Thebans when you shrank from the task. Jowett (Thucyd.) [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To express fear, horror, or pain by contracting the body, or part of it; to shudder; to quake. [ R. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of shrinking; a contraction into less bulk or measurement. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The amount of such contraction; the bulk or dimension lost by shrinking, as of grain, castings, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Decrease in value; depreciation. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who shrinks; one who withdraws from danger. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. from Shrink. [ 1913 Webster ]

Shrinking head (Founding), a body of molten metal connected with a mold for the purpose of supplying metal to compensate for the shrinkage of the casting; -- called also sinking head, and riser. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a shrinking manner. [ 1913 Webster ]