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Sink Very Common

Sink has 17 different meanings across 3 categories:

Noun · Verb · Proper Noun

Definitions
Noun
1

plumbing fixture consisting of a water basin fixed to a wall or floor and having a drainpipe

"She reached over to turn on the faucet at the kitchen sink to wash her hands."

2

(technology) a process that acts to absorb or remove energy or a substance from a system

"the ocean is a sink for carbon dioxide"

3

a depression in the ground communicating with a subterranean passage (especially in limestone) and formed by solution or by collapse of a cavern roof

"During our hike through the karst region, we stepped carefully over a deep sink that opened into an underground cavern."

4

a covered cistern; waste water and sewage flow into it

"The kitchen sink is where dirty dishes are washed and the resulting wastewater flows down the drain."

5

A basin used for holding water for washing.

"She reached over to fill the kitchen sink with warm, soapy water before starting her dishes."

In plain English: A sink is a basin with a faucet that you use for washing dishes and hands.

"He reached for the sponge to dry off his hands after they had used the sink."

Verb
1

fall or descend to a lower place or level

"He sank to his knees"

2

cause to sink

"The Japanese sank American ships in Pearl Harbor"

3

pass into a specified state or condition

"He sank into nirvana"

4

go under

"The raft sank and its occupants drowned"

5

descend into or as if into some soft substance or place

"He sank into bed"

"She subsided into the chair"

6

appear to move downward

"The sun dipped below the horizon"

"The setting sun sank below the tree line"

7

fall heavily or suddenly; decline markedly

"The real estate market fell off"

8

fall or sink heavily

"He slumped onto the couch"

"My spirits sank"

9

embed deeply

"She sank her fingers into the soft sand"

"He buried his head in her lap"

10

To move or be moved into something.

"The small boat began to sink lower into the choppy waves as more water rushed in."

11

To descend or submerge (or to cause to do so) into a liquid or similar substance.

"The heavy stone sank rapidly into the deep blue water."

In plain English: To sink means to go down into something, usually because it is heavy or not strong enough to hold you up.

"I had to take out the trash because it was starting to sink in the garbage bin."

Usage: Use "sink" when an object descends below the surface of a liquid, such as a ship sinking in water. Do not confuse this with "dip," which implies only partial submersion without necessarily going beneath the top layer.

Proper Noun
1

A surname​.

"The Sink family has lived in that valley for generations."

Example Sentences
"He reached for the sponge to dry off his hands after they had used the sink." noun
"I had to take out the trash because it was starting to sink in the garbage bin." verb
"The dishes need to be washed and placed in the sink before dinner." verb
"It was difficult for him to sink into the deep armchair after his long day." verb
"I noticed that my new boat began to sink slowly as a hole formed in its hull." verb
See Also
soap conceal channel drop introcession descend heat sink cryobot
Related Terms
Antonyms
source swim
Broader Terms (hypernyms)
plumbing fixture natural process natural depression cistern change posture move descend decline drop collapse implant
Narrower Terms (hyponyms)
kitchen sink washbasin heat sink drop open sag settle subside founder submerge set

Origin

Sink comes from the Old English word sincan, which traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to fall." The modern verb entered Middle English with this same core sense of descending or going down into something.

Rhyming Words
ink kink link fink gink hink dink bink pink zink wink mink tink rink oink jink drink stink yoink chink
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