SINK, v. i. pret. sunk; pp. id. The old pret. sank is nearly obsolete.

1. A drain to carry off filthy water; a jakes. – Shak. Hayward.
2. A kind of basin of stone or wood to receive filthy water.

1. To fall by the force of greater gravity, in a medium or substance of less specific gravity; to subside; opposed to swim or float. Some species of wood or timber will sink in water. Oil will not sink in water and many other liquids, for it is specifically lighter. I sink in deep mire. – Ps. lxix.
2. To fall gradually. He sunk down in his chariot. – 2 Kings ix.
3. To enter or penetrate into any body. The stone sunk into his forehead. – 1 Sam. xvii.
4. To fall; to become lower; to subside or settle to a level. The Alps and Pyrenees sink before him. – Addison.
5. To be overwhelmed or depressed. Our country sinks beneath the yoke. – Shak.
6. To enter deeply; to be impressed. Let these sayings sink down into your ears. – Luke ix.
7. To become deep; to retire or fall within the surface of any thing; as, the eyes sink into the head.
8. To fall; to decline; to decay; to decrease. A free state gradually sinks into ruin. It is the duty of government to revive a sinking commerce. Let not the fire sink or slacken. – Mortimer.
9. To fall into rest or indolence; as, to sink away in pleasing dreams. – Addison.
10. To be lower; to fall; as, the price of land will sink in time of peace.

1. To put under water; to immerse in a fluid; as, to sink a ship.
2. To make by digging or delving; as, to sink a pit or a well.
3. To depress; to degrade. His vices sink him in infamy, or in public estimation.
4. To plunge into destruction. If I have a conscience, let it sink me. – Shak.
5. To cause to fall or to be plunged. – Woodward.
6. To bring low; to reduce in quantity. You sunk the river with repeated draughts. – Addison.
7. To depress; to overbear; to crush. This would sink the spirit of a hero.
8. To diminish; to lower or lessen; to degrade. I mean not that we should sink our figure out of covetousness. – Rogers.
9. To cause to decline or fail. Thy cruel and unnat'ral lust of power / Has sunk thy father more than all his years. – Rowe.
10. To suppress; to conceal; to intervert. If sent with ready money to buy any thing, and you happen to be out of pocket, sink the money, and take up the goods on account. [Unusual.] – Swift.
11. To depress; to lower in value or amount. Great importations may sink the price of goods.
12. To reduce; to pay; to diminish or annihilate by payment; as, to sink the national debt.
13. To waste; to dissipate; as, to sink an estate.

1. To fall by, or as by, the force of gravity; to descend lower and lower; to decline gradually; to subside; as, a stone sinks in water; waves rise and sink; the sun sinks in the west.
   
   

   I sink in deep mire. Ps. lxix. 2.

2. To cause to sink; to put under water; to immerse or submerge in a fluid; as, to sink a ship.
   
   

   [The Athenians] fell upon the wings and sank a single ship. Jowett (Thucyd.).

3. A drain to carry off filthy water; a jakes.
4. The lowest part of a natural hollow or closed basin whence the water of one or more streams escapes by evaporation; as, the sink of the Humboldt River.
   
   
   [Western U. S.]
5. To enter deeply; to fall or retire beneath or below the surface; to penetrate.
   
   

   The stone sunk into his forehead. 1 San. xvii. 49.

6. Figuratively: To cause to decline; to depress; to degrade; hence, to ruin irretrievably; to destroy, as by drowping; as, to sink one's reputation.
   
   

   I raise of sink, imprison or set free. Prior.

   If I have a conscience, let it sink me. Shak.

   Thy cruel and unnatural lust of power
   Has sunk thy father more than all his years. Rowe.

7. A shallow box or vessel of wood, stone, iron, or other material, connected with a drain, and used for receiving filthy water, etc., as in a kitchen.
8. Hence, to enter so as to make an abiding impression; to enter completely.
   
   

   Let these sayings sink down into your ears. Luke ix. 44.

9. To make (a depression) by digging, delving, or cutting, etc.; as, to sink a pit or a well; to sink a die.
10. A hole or low place in land or rock, where waters sink and are lost; -- called also sink hole.
    
    
    [U. S.]

    Sink hole. (a) The opening to a sink drain. (b) A cesspool. (c) Same as Sink, n., 3.

11. To be overwhelmed or depressed; to fall slowly, as so the ground, from weakness or from an overburden; to fail in strength; to decline; to decay; to decrease.
    
    

    I think our country sinks beneath the yoke. Shak.

    He sunk down in his chariot. 2 Kings ix. 24.

    Let not the fire sink or slacken. Mortimer.

12. To bring low; to reduce in quantity; to waste.
    
    

    You sunk the river repeated draughts. Addison.

13. 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. Addison.

    Syn. -- To fall; subside; drop; droop; lower; decline; decay; decrease; lessen.

14. To conseal and appropriate.
    
    
    [Slang]

    If sent with ready money to buy anything, and you happen to be out of pocket, sink the money, and take up the goods on account. Swift.

15. To keep out of sight; to suppress; to ignore.
    
    

    A courtly willingness to sink obnoxious truths. Robertson.

16. To reduce or extinguish by payment; as, to sink the national debt.