Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [singk]
- /sɪŋk/
- /sɪŋk/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [singk]
- /sɪŋk/
Definitions of sinking word
- verb without object sinking 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. 1
- verb without object sinking to fall, drop, or descend gradually to a lower level: The river sank two feet during the dry spell. 1
- verb without object sinking to settle or fall gradually, as a heavy structure: The tower is slowly sinking. 1
- verb without object sinking to fall or collapse slowly from weakness, fatigue, distress, etc.: He gasped and sank to his knees. 1
- verb without object sinking to slope downward; dip: The field sinks toward the highway. 1
- verb without object sinking to go down toward or below the horizon: the sun sinks in the west. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of sinking
First appearance:
before 1000 One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1000; (v.) 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 v.
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Sinking
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
sinking popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 99% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
sinking usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for sinking
adj sinking
- at death's door — If you say that someone is at death's door, you mean they are very ill indeed and likely to die.
- biconcave — (of a lens) having concave faces on both sides; concavo-concave
- catabolic — destructive metabolism; the breaking down in living organisms of more complex substances into simpler ones, with the release of energy (opposed to anabolism).
- concave — A surface that is concave curves inwards in the middle.
- cupped — hollowed like a cup; concave
noun sinking
- backflow — a reverse flow, the movement (of a liquid) in the opposite direction to its previous, natural or intended direction
- cave in — If something such as a roof or a ceiling caves in, it collapses inwards.
- cave-in — a collapse, as of anything hollow: the worst cave-in in the history of mining.
- cavein — a hollow in the earth, especially one opening more or less horizontally into a hill, mountain, etc.
- descent — A descent is a movement from a higher to a lower level or position.
adjective sinking
- declining — deteriorating gradually, as in quality, health, or character
- degenerate — If you say that someone or something degenerates, you mean that they become worse in some way, for example weaker, lower in quality, or more dangerous.
- descending — When a group of things is listed or arranged in descending order, each thing is smaller or less important than the thing before it.
- downward — Also, downwards. from a higher to a lower place or condition.
- dropping — a small quantity of liquid that falls or is produced in a more or less spherical mass; a liquid globule.
Antonyms for sinking
adj sinking
Top questions with sinking
- what are you sinking about?
- what is a sinking fund?
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with s
- Words starting with si
- Words starting with sin
- Words starting with sink
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- Words starting with sinkin
- Words starting with sinking