From Middle English synken, from Old English sincan, from Proto-West Germanic *sinkwan, from Proto-Germanic *sinkwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sengʷ- (“to fall, sink”).
Compare West Frisian sinke, Low German sinken, Dutch zinken, German sinken, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål synke, Swedish sjunka. In the causative sense, it replaced Old English senċan (“make sink”) from Proto-Germanic *sankwijaną.
Meanings
A basin used for holding water for washing.
Roy: The work was fiiine. There was nothing wrong with the work. But they caught him... He pissed in the sink.
Jen: Oh. Oh!
Roy: Yeah...
Jen: Which sink?
Roy: All the sinks. Yeah, he basically went on a pee parade around the house.
Jen: Oh God, I have to fire him. 2008 November 21, Graham Linehan, The IT Crowd, Season 3, Episode 1
A drain for carrying off wastewater.
A sinkhole.
A depression in land where water collects, with no visible outlet.
A heat sink.
A place that absorbs resources or energy.
A habitat that cannot support a population on its own but receives the excess of individuals from some other source.
(uncountable) Descending motion; descent.
An excessive sink rate at touchdown can cause the aircraft's landing gear to collapse.
(uncountable) Descending motion; descent. ▸ The motion of a sinker pitch.
Jones has a two-seamer with heavy sink.
An object or callback that captures events.
A destination vertex in a transportation network.
A node in directed graph for which all of its edges go into it; one with no outgoing edges.
An abode of degraded persons; a wretched place.
A depression in a stereotype plate.
A stage trapdoor for shifting scenery.
An excavation smaller than a shaft.
(qualifier:game development) One or several systems that remove currency from the game's economy, thus controlling or preventing inflation.
From Middle English synken, from Old English sincan, from Proto-West Germanic *sinkwan, from Proto-Germanic *sinkwaną, from Proto-Indo-European *sengʷ- (“to fall, sink”).
Compare West Frisian sinke, Low German sinken, Dutch zinken, German sinken, Danish and Norwegian Bokmål synke, Swedish sjunka. In the causative sense, it replaced Old English senċan (“make sink”) from Proto-Germanic *sankwijaną.
Meanings
(ergative, physical) To move or be moved into something. ▸ To descend or submerge (or to cause to do so) into a liquid or similar substance.
A stone sinks in water. The sun gradually sank in the west.
(physical, transitive) To move or be moved into something. ▸ To (directly or indirectly) cause a vessel to sink, generally by making it no longer watertight.
An iceberg sank the Titanic. British battleships sank the Bismarck.
(physical, transitive) To move or be moved into something. ▸ To push (something) into something.
Before installing the new surfacing material, sink any protruding nails. 1980, Robert M. Jones, editor, Walls and Ceilings, Time-Life Books, →ISBN, page 11:
I have to take the turn, sink hooks and nails so I'll return
And it could get me every time, but I must taste fire
Infectious is the flame that burns 2014 May 9, “Melting of My Marrow”, in Killer Be Killed, performed by Killer Be Killed:
The joint will hold tighter if you sink a wood screw through both boards. The dog sank its teeth into the delivery man's leg.
(physical, transitive) To move or be moved into something. ▸ To make by digging or delving.
As was the case with the City & South London, powers were taken to sink shafts from temporary staging in the river, about 240 ft. from the south bank, from which to begin boring the tunnels, and the first pile for the staging was driven on June 18, 1894. 1958 August 14, T. S. Lascelles, “Diamond Jubilee of the Waterloo & City Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 518:
to sink a well in the ground
(physical, transitive) To move or be moved into something. ▸ To pot; hit a ball into a pocket or hole.
My sister beats me at pool in public a second time. I claim some dignity back by potting two of my balls before Tammy sinks the black. 2008, Edward Keating, The Joy of Ex: A Novel:
(figuratively, intransitive, of the heart or spirit, qualifier:social) To diminish or be diminished. ▸ To experience apprehension, disappointment, dread, or momentary depression.
But open converse is there none,
So much the vital spirits sink
To see the vacant chair, and think,
‘How good! how kind! and he is gone.’ 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XX”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 34:
Peter's heart sank. "Don't you think it is dreadful?" he asked. 1915, Thornton W. Burgess, chapter XIX, in The Adventures of Chatterer the Red Squirrel, Boston: Little, Brown, and Company:
I tried, but I could not wake him. This caused me a great fear, and I looked around terrified. Then indeed, my heart sank within me. Beside the bed, as if he had stepped out of the mist, or rather as if the mist had turned into his figure, for it had entirely disappeared, stood a tall, thin man, all in black. 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula, Westminster [London]: Archibald Constable and Company, […], →OCLC:
(figuratively, qualifier:social, transitive) To diminish or be diminished. ▸ To cause to decline; to depress or degrade.
And if I have a conscience, let it sink me 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:
to sink one's reputation
Thy cruel and unnatural lust of power / Has sunk thy father more than all his years. 1700, Nicholas Rowe, The Ambitious Stepmother, act II, scene ii:
(intransitive, qualifier:social) To diminish or be diminished. ▸ To demean or lower oneself; to do something below one's status, standards, or morals.
Who would sink so low as to steal change from veterans? 2013 April 24, Steve Henschel, Niagara This Week:
(archaic, slang, transitive) To conceal and appropriate.
If you are sent with ready money to buy anything at a shop, and happen at that time to be out of pocket, sink the money, and take up the goods on your master's account. 1726, Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels:
(archaic, slang, transitive) To keep out of sight; to suppress; to ignore.
I say not always dishonorable qualifications, but a certain flexibility of disposition; a certain courtly willingness to sink obnoxious truths, and adapt ourselves to the prejudices of the minds of others […] 1849 December 15, Frederick William Robertson, Sermon 14, “The Principle of Spiritual Harvest”
(slang, transitive) To drink (especially something alcoholic).
[…] just thought she was wrecked from all the Diamond White ciders she'd been sinking – I'd even bought her a couple of Blastaways, which in hindsight was a mistake. 2021, Barbara Copperthwaite, The Girl in the Missing Poster:
So let's sink another drink / 'Cause it'll give me time to think 1981 January 23, Billy Idol, Tony James, “Dancing with Myself”, in Kiss Me Deadly, performed by Generation X:
(slang, transitive) To pay absolutely.
for 13 of his 15 years in charge, Burrell sank more money into the farm than he received in revenues, and the estate was £1.5m overdrawn. 2020 February 25, Christopher de Bellaigue, “The end of farming?”, in The Guardian:
I have sunk thousands of pounds into this project.
(archaic, slang, transitive) To reduce or extinguish by payment.
to sink the national debt
(intransitive) To be overwhelmed or depressed; to fail in strength.
then keep an even steady Fire under them, not too fierce at first, lest you scorch them; and let not the Fire sink or slacken, but rather increase till the Hops be near dry'd 1721, John Mortimer, The Whole Art of Husbandry:
I think our country sinks beneath the yoke. c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
(archaic, intransitive) To die.
However, before the entire mass was detached, a copious oozing of blood took place, when the patient lost from a pint to a pint and a half; and which, doubtless, so lowered him that he never rallied, but sank in about an hour and a half after the operation was completed. 1865 June 17, C. C. Richards, M.D., &c., “Report of a Case of Multiple Fatty Tumours”, in The Lancet, volume 85, number 2181, London: George Fall, page 650:
[…] as September drew towards its close, and reports came from Munich that Gömbös was sinking fast, the Right in their turn were credited by the Prager Presse and by certain foreign journalists, who drew their inspiration from the same sources, with sensational designs. 1956, Carlile Aylmer Macartney, October Fifteenth: A History of Modern Hungary, 1929–1945, volume 1, page 174:
(intransitive) To decrease in volume, as a river; to subside; to become diminished in volume or in apparent height.
The Alps and Pyreneans sink before him: / Through wind and waves, and storms he works his way a. 1746, Joseph Addison, The Tragedy of Cato, act I, scene i:
It was not far from the house; but the ground sank into a depression there, and the ridge of it behind shut out everything except just the roof of the tallest hayrick. As one sat on the sward behind the elm, with the back turned on the rick and nothing in front but the tall elms and the oaks in the other hedge, it was quite easy to fancy it the verge of the prairie with the backwoods close by. 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter 1, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], →OCLC:
la mergor ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · de versenken (push (something) into) · eo alfundigi ((''transitive'') submerge) · izh vajottaa (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · uk вколо́ти (push (something) into) · hu lebukik ((''transitive'') submerge) · ru погружа́ться ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · gl perfundir ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk capital невда́ло покла́сти ((''transitive'') submerge) · sq zhyt ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk zapásty v pámʺjatʹ ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · km ប្លេង (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · lv slīkt ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · da sænke (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · chr ᎦᏃᏴᎦ ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk zanepásty dúxom ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ba батыу ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk врізатися в па́м’ять ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · is sökkva (push (something) into) · gl afundir ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · mi torongi ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ru топи́ть (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · it andare a fondo ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · el βυθίζω ((''transitive'') submerge) · uk into poverty зубожі́ти ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · sq ngul (push (something) into) · it inabissare (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · tl lumubog ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · sv sjunka ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · pl zatapiać (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · de senken (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · lt grim̃zti ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · fi upottaa (push (something) into) · jv kèrem ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · az batmaq ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · es echar a pique (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · ba батыу ((''transitive'') submerge) · hu elsüllyeszt (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · ang ādrincan ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · enm avalen ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ru тону́ть ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · hu süllyed ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk іти́ на дно ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ru утону́ть ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · el βυθίζομαι ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · km បំផ្លិច (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · hu merül ((''transitive'') submerge) · eo droni ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · hu merül ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · fi upottaa ((''transitive'') submerge) · nl zinken ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk всади́ти (push (something) into) · mi pōharu ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · th จม ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · it affondare (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · km ពន្លិច (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · rup afundu ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk па́дати ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ka ჩაძირვა ((''transitive'') submerge) · fi upota ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · sv sänka (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · tr batmak ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · no senke (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · izh upota ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · mi tapoko ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ka ჩაძირვა ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · sq fundos (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · be апуска́цца ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · mi pōwharuwharu ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk weaken or die слабша́ти ги́нути ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ja 沈める (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · es afondar (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · nb senke (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · es echar a fondo (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · gd sìolaidh ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · hu mélyeszt (push (something) into) · uk впада́ти ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ja 沈む ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · it affondare ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · nl onderdompelen ((''transitive'') submerge) · bg наводнявам ((''transitive'') submerge) · fr s'enfoncer ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk of the sun заходи́ти ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · it colare a picco (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · la mersum (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · cmn 下沉 ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · es afondar ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · bg пъхвам (push (something) into) · oc enfonsar ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · is sökkva ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · eo alfundiĝi ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · grc βυθίζω (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · ko 가라앉다 ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · pt afundar ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ba батырыу (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · cs potopit se ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · hy սուզվել ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · gl afondar ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · gl mergullar ((''transitive'') submerge) · hy խորտակել ((''transitive'') submerge) · ka დაძირვა (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · mi tāpokopoko ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · cmn 沉 ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ka ძირვა ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · es hundir (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · sa मज्जति ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · gl afundir ((''transitive'') submerge) · gl enfundir ((''transitive'') submerge) · ro scufunda ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ru опуска́ться ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · be патапіць (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · km ពន្លង់ (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · ceb lunod ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk потупа́ти ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · bg потапям ((''transitive'') submerge) · it immergere ((''transitive'') submerge) · mi whakatotohu ((''transitive'') submerge) · pl zanurzać ((''transitive'') submerge) · uk зану́рюватися ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · hy սուզել ((''transitive'') submerge) · pl tonąć ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ca enfonsar (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · be утапіць (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · gl afundir (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · grc βυθίζομαι ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ka ჩაძირვა (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · az batırmaq (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · pl zatopić (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · izh upottaa (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · eu hondoratu ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · la mergo (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · sq zhyt ((''transitive'') submerge) · ltg sleikt ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · el ποντίζω (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · nl tot zinken brengen (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · got 𐍃𐌹𐌲𐌵𐌰𐌽 (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · gl alagar (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · es hundir ((''transitive'') submerge) · az batırmaq ((''transitive'') submerge) · fo søkkja (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · es hundirse ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · hu süllyeszt (push (something) into) · ru потопи́ть (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · be тану́ць ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ru погружа́ть ((''transitive'') submerge) · mba nalumos ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · it immergersi ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · fr couler (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · hu lesüllyed ((''transitive'') submerge) · uk тону́ти ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · mi whakatotohu (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · no synke ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · km លិច (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · hy խորտակել (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · mi totohu ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · hu süllyed ((''transitive'') submerge) · km សំរុត (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · gd sìolaidh ((''transitive'') submerge) · fo søkka ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · fr couler ((''transitive'') submerge) · ar غَطَسَ ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk топи́ти ((''transitive'') submerge) · enm valen ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · pt submergir ((''transitive'') submerge) · el βυθίζω (push (something) into) · hu elmerül ((''transitive'') submerge) · uk ри́ти колодя́зь ((''transitive'') submerge) · hu süpped ((''transitive'') submerge) · hu elsüllyed ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk затопи́ти (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · bg потопявам (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · nb synke ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · jv keleleb ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ru топи́ть ((''transitive'') submerge) · ro afunda ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · et uputama (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · el βυθίζω (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · eo alfundigi (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · uk запада́ти ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · mi pōwharu ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · vi chìm (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · is sökkva (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · hu lemerül ((''transitive'') submerge) · ka დაძირვა ((''transitive'') submerge) · gl sufondar ((''transitive'') submerge) · uk зни́жуватися ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ca submergir-se ((''transitive'') submerge) · ca enfonsar ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · cs potopit (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · izh vajota ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk of a foundation осіда́ти ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · gl afondar (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · io sinkar ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · th จม (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · uz choʻmmoq ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · kaw karĕm ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · uk опуска́тися ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · el βουλιάζω ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · it sprofondare ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · hu bukik ((''transitive'') submerge) · pl topić ((''transitive'') submerge) · uk a well копа́ти колодя́зь ((''transitive'') submerge) · km បញ្ចុះ (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · pt afundar (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · eo sinki ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · fr couler ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · sw -zamisha ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · cy suddo ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · da synke ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · hy սուզել (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · ru утопи́ть ((''transitive'') submerge) · de sinken ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · gl alagar ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · sh тонути ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · de senken (push (something) into) · cdo 沉 ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · fi upottaa (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · et vajuma ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · ka ძირვა ((''transitive'') submerge) · hu elmerül ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · be тапіць (cause (ship, etc) to sink) · fi vajota ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · bg потъвам ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.) · mi pōharuharu ((''intransitive'') descend into liquid, etc.)