Past tense of shrink: became smaller in size, volume, or amount, often involuntarily.
From Old English 'scrincan' (to contract), related to Old Norse 'skrinkja.' The word originally described the physical action of something drawing inward or contracting.
Wool fibers shrank because of how protein molecules respond to heat and moisture—their molecular structure literally tries to coil tighter—which is why your grandmother's warning about hot water wasn't just superstition but molecular physics.
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