sink

Dictionary: sink (sĭngk) pronunciation

v., sank (săngk), or sunk (sŭngk), sunk, sink·ing, sinks.

v.intr.

To descend to the bottom; submerge.
1. To fall or drop to a lower level, especially to go down slowly or in stages: The water in the lake sank several feet during the long, dry summer.
2. To subside or settle gradually, as a massive or weighty structure.
To appear to move downward, as the sun or moon in setting.
To slope downward; incline.
To pass into a specified condition: She sank into a deep sleep.
1. To deteriorate in quality or condition: The patient is sinking fast. The family sank into a state of disgrace.
2. To diminish, as in value.
To become weaker, quieter, or less forceful: His voice sank to a whisper.
1. To drop or fall slowly, as from weakness or fatigue: The exhausted runner sank to the ground.
2. To feel great disappointment or discouragement: Her heart sank within her.
To seep or soak; penetrate: The water is sinking into the ground.
To make an impression; become felt or understood: The meaning finally sank in.

v.tr.

To cause to descend beneath a surface: sink a ship.
To cause to drop or lower: sank the bucket into the well.
To force into the ground: sink a piling.
To dig or drill (a mine or well) in the earth.
To occupy the full attention of; engross.
1. To make weaker, quieter, or less forceful.
2. To reduce in quantity or worth.
To debase the nature of; degrade.
To bring to a low or ruined state; defeat or destroy.
To suppress or hide: He sank his arrogance and apologized.
Informal. To defeat, as in a game.
1. To invest: sink money into a new housing project.
2. To invest without any prospect of return.
To pay off (a debt).
Sports. To get (a ball) into a hole or basket.

A water basin fixed to a wall or floor and having a drainpipe and generally a piped supply of water.
A cesspool.
A sinkhole.
A natural or artificial means of absorbing or removing a substance or a form of energy from a system.
A place regarded as wicked and corrupt.

idiom:

sink or swim Informal.

To fail or succeed without alternative.

[Middle English sinken, from Old English sincan.]

sinkable sink'a·ble adj.

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Thesaurus: sink

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also sink in

verb

To fall or drift down to the bottom: gravitate, settle. See rise/fall.
To go beneath the surface or to the bottom of a liquid: founder¹, submerge, submerse. See rise/fall.
To go from a more erect posture to a less erect posture: drop, fall, slump. See rise/fall.
To slope downward: decline, descend, dip, drop, fall, pitch. See rise/fall.
To become lower in quality, character, or condition: atrophy, decline, degenerate, descend, deteriorate, retrograde, worsen. Idioms: go bad, go to pot, go to seed, go to the dogs. See better/worse.
To bring oneself down to a lower level of behavior: descend, lower², stoop. See rise/fall.
To undergo moral deterioration: fall, slip. Idioms: gobadwrong. See right/wrong.
To cause the complete ruin or wreckage of: bankrupt, break down, cross up, demolish, destroy, finish, ruin, shatter, smash, spoil, torpedo, undo, wash up, wrack², wreck. Slang total. Idioms: put the kibosh on. See help/harm/harmless.
To undergo a sharp, rapid descent in value or price: dive, drop, fall, nose-dive, plummet, plunge, skid, slump, tumble. Idioms: take a suddendowntrenddownturn. See increase/decrease.
To lose strength or power: decline, degenerate, deteriorate, fade, fail, flag², languish, wane, waste (away), weaken. Informal fizzle (out). Idioms: go downhill, hit the skids. See increase/decrease, strong/weak.
To cause to penetrate with force: dig, drive, plunge, ram, run, stab, stick, thrust. See put in/take out.

phrasal verb - sink in

knowledge/ignorance

noun

An area sunk below its surroundings: basin, concavity, depression, dip, hollow, pit¹, sag, sinkhole. See convex/concave.
A place known for its great filth or corruption: cesspit, cesspool, pit¹. Slang armpit. See clean/dirty, right/wrong.

Idioms: sink

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Idioms beginning with sink:
sinker
sink in
sinking feeling, a
sink one's teeth into
sink or swim
sink through the floor

See also desert a sinking ship; enough to sink a ship; everything but the kitchen sink; heart sinks.

Antonyms: sink

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Definition: be humble or humbled
Antonyms: brave, fight

v

Definition: deteriorate
Antonyms: improve, increase, recover, rise, strengthen

v

Definition: fall in, go under
Antonyms: float, rise

v

Definition: fall, decrease
Antonyms: grow, increase, rise

v

Definition: go under
Antonyms: ascend, rise

Architecture: sink

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A plumbing fixture usually consisting of a basin with a water supply, connected with a drain.

Electronics Dictionary: sink

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Device such as a load that consumes power or conducts away heat.

Word Tutor: sink

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IN BRIEF: To descend to the bottom, move below the surface. Also: A water basin fixed to a wall or floor and having a drainpipe and generally a piped supply of water.

A small leak can sink a great ship. — Benjamin Franklin quotes (1706-1790), American statesman.

Dream Symbol: Sinking

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A sinking feeling may symbolize the dreamer's waking world if the dreamer is overwhelmed by business and financial responsibilities.

Wikipedia: Sink

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"Sinks" redirects here. For other uses, see Sinks (disambiguation).

A generic bathroom sink.

In plumbing, a sink or basin is a bowl-shaped fixture that is used for washing hands or small objects. In American plumbing parlance, a bathroom sink is known as a lavatory.

Sinks generally have taps (faucets) that supply hot and cold water and may include a spray feature to be used for faster rinsing. They also include a drain to remove used water; this drain may itself include a strainer and/or shut-off device and an overflow-prevention device. Sinks may also have an integrated soap dispenser.

When a sink becomes stopped-up or clogged, a person will often resort to use a chemical drain cleaner or a plunger, though most professional plumbers will attack the clog with a drain auger (often called a "plumber's snake").

1 Materials
2 Styles
3 Ceramic basin construction
4 Accessories
5 See also

Materials

Sinks are made of many different materials. These include:

Bathroom Stainless Steel Vessel Sink standing on a Wood Surface. Brazilian creative design.

Stainless steel is commonly used in kitchens and commercial applications because it represents a good trade-off between cost, usability, durability, and ease of cleaning. Most stainless steel sinks are made by drawing a sheet of stainless steel over a die. Some very deep sinks are fabricated by welding. Stainless steel sinks will not be damaged by hot or cold objects and resist damage from impacts. One disadvantage of stainless steel is that, being made of thin metal, they tend to be noisier than most other sink materials, although better sinks apply a heavy coating of vibration-damping material to the underside of the sink.

Enamel over cast iron is a popular material for kitchen and bathroom sinks. Heavy and durable, these sinks can also be manufactured in a very wide range of shapes and colors. Like stainless steel, they are very resistant to hot or cold objects, but they can be damaged by sharp impacts and once the glass surface is breached, the underlying cast iron will often corrode, spalling off more of the glass. Aggressive cleaning will dull the surface, leading to more dirt accumulation. Enamel over steel is a similar-appearing but far less rugged and less cost-effective alternative.

Solid ceramic sinks have many of the same characteristics as enamel over cast iron, but without the risk of surface damage leading to corrosion.

Plastic sinks come in several basic forms:

Inexpensive sinks are simply injection-molded thermoplastics. These are often deep, free-standing sinks used in laundry rooms. Subject to damage by hot or sharp objects, the principal virtue of these sinks is their low cost.

High-end acrylic drop-in (lowered into the countertop) and undermount (attached from the bottom) sinks are becoming more popular, although they tend to be easily damaged by hard objects - like scouring a cast iron frying pan in the sink.

Plastic sinks may also be made from the same materials used to form "solid surface" countertops. These sinks are durable, attractive, and can often be molded with an integrated countertop or joined to a separate countertop in a seamless fashion, leading to no sink-to-countertop joint or a very smooth sink-to-countertop joint that can not trap dirt or germs. These sinks are subject to damage by hot objects but damaged areas can sometimes be sanded-down to expose undamaged material.

Soapstone sinks were once common, but today tend to be used only in very-high-end applications or applications that must resist caustic chemicals that would damage more-conventional sinks.

Wood sinks are from the early days of sinks and baths were made from natural teak with no additional finishing. Teak is chosen because of its natural waterproofing properties – it has been used for hundreds of years in the marine industry for this reason. Teak also has natural antiseptic properties, which is a bonus for its use in baths and sinks.

Glass sinks: A current trend in bathroom design is the handmade glass sink (often referred to as a vessel sink) which has become fashionable for wealthy homeowners.

Stone sinks have been used for ages. Some of the more popular stones used are: marble, travertine, onyx, granite.

Glass, concrete, and terrazzo sinks are usually designed for their aesthetic appeal and can be obtained in a wide variety of unusual shapes and colors such as floral shapes. Concrete and terrazzo are occasionally also used in very-heavy-duty applications such as janitorial sinks.

Styles

Sinks are available in many colours

A number of people can use this sink at the same time.

Self-rimming (top-mount) sinks sit in appropriately-shaped holes roughly cut in the countertop (or substrate material) using a jigsaw or other cutter appropriate to the material at hand and are suspended by their rim. The rim then inherently forms a fairly close seal with the top surface of the countertop, especially when the sink is clamped into the hole from below.

Bottom-mount or under-mount sinks are installed below the countertop surface. The edge of the countertop material is exposed at the hole created for the sink (and so must be a carefully finished edge rather than a rough cut). The sink is then clamped to the bottom of the material from below. Especially for bottom-mount sinks, silicone-based sealants are usually used to assure a waterproof joint between the sink and the countertop material. The advantage of an "under-mount" sink is that it gives a contemporary look to the kitchen but the disadvantages are extra cost in both the sink and the counter top. Also, no matter how carefully the cut out is made, the result is either a small ledge or overhang at the interface with the sink. This can create an environment for catching dirt and allowing germs to grow.

Solid-surface plastic materials allow sinks to be made of the same plastic material as the countertop. These sinks can then easily be glued to the underside of the countertop material and the joint sanded flat, creating the usual invisible joint and completely eliminating any dirt-catching seam between the sink and the countertop. In a similar fashion, for stainless steel, a sink may be welded into the countertop; the joint is then ground to create a finished, concealed appearance.

A Belfast sink is a type of Butler sink with a weir overflow. Butler's sinks are large ceramic sinks with a traditional appearance, often set under work surfaces.

A farmer's sink is a deep sink that has a finished front. Set onto a countertop, the finished front of the sink remains exposed. This style of sink requires very little "reach-over" to access the sink.

A vessel sink is a free-standing sink, generally finished and decorated on all sides, that sits directly on the surface of the furniture on which it is mounted. These sinks have become increasingly popular with bathroom designers because of the large range of materials, styles and finishes which they can show to good advantage.

Ceramic basin construction

Pottery is made by a blend of clays, fillers and fluxes being fused together during the firing process. A white or coloured glaze is applied and is fused chemically and physically to the clay body during the same firing process. The finished product (vitreous china) has a very hard surface and is resistant to fading, staining, burning, scratching and acid attack. Due to the firing process and natural clays used, it is normal for the product to vary in size and shape, and +/- 5mm is normal.

Accessories

Some public restrooms feature "automatic sinks", which use a motion-sensing valve to detect the user's hands moving beneath the tap. They then turn the water on.

Sinks, especially those made of stainless steel, can be fitted with an integrated drainboard, allowing for the draining of washed dishes.

Français (French)
v. intr. - amortir, couler, baisser, (fig) baisser, s'effondrer (un bâtiment), sombrer dans
v. tr. - amortir, (Naut) couler, torpiller, forer, creuser, enfoncer, (GB) descendre (une boisson), (Sport) mettre (qch) dans le trou, faire couler/détruire, (Fin) amortir (une dette), investir dans
n. - évier, lavabo, fosse d'aisance, (fig) cloaque, (Géol) doline

idioms:

sink a well creuser un puits
sink in pénétrer, (fig) faire son chemin
sink into s'enfoncer dans
sink money investir de l'argent, mettre de l'argent dans
sink or swim advienne que pourra, marche ou crève
sink someone's plans couler les plans de qn
sinking feeling serrement de c¯ur
sinking fund (Fin) fonds d'amortissement

Deutsch (German)
n. - Spüle, Senkgrube, Pfuhl, Senke
v. - sinken, versinken, sich senken, versenken

idioms:

sink a well eine Bohrung niederbringen
sink in einsinken
sink into sinken in
sink money Geld investieren
sink or swim untergehen oder überleben
sink someone's plans jmds. Pläne sabotieren
sinking feeling flaues Gefühl im Magen
sinking fund Tilgungsfonds

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - νεροχύτης, βόθρος, βαρίδι (ορμιάς κ.λπ.), (γεωλ.) καταβόθρα
v. - βουλιάζω, βυθίζω/-ομαι, κατακαθίζω, ξεπέφτω, λυγίζω, ενδίδω, σωριάζομαι, δύω, ενσωματώνω, τοποθετώ χωνευτά, (οικον.) επενδύω, (καθομ.) τρώγω ή πίνω

idioms:

sink a well ανοίγω πηγάδι
sink in διαποτίζω, (μτφ.) (για έννοια κ.λπ.) γίνομαι πλήρως αντιληπτός
sink into βυθίζω/-ομαι σε
sink money επενδύω χρήματα
sink or swim του ύψους ή του βάθους
sink someone's plans ματαιώνω τα σχέδια
sinking feeling αίσθημα απογοήτευσης, ανησυχίας ή πανικού, αίσθημα αδυναμίας (από πείνα)
sinking fund (οικον.) χρεολυτικό κεφάλαιο ή αποθεματικό, χρεολύσιο, ράντα

Italiano (Italian)
affondare, lavabo, lavandino

idioms:

sink a well scavare un pozzo
sink in penetrare
sink into esser capito
sink money investire
sink or swim o la va o la spacca
sink someone's plans far naufragare i progetti di
sinking feeling languore di stomaco
sinking fund fondo di ammortamento

Português (Portuguese)
n. - pia (f), bacia (f) (Geog.), esgoto (m), alçapão (m) de teatro
v. - afundar, enterrar, rebaixar, humilhar, ignorar, perder de vista, cunhar

idioms:

sink a well descer ao fundo do poço
sink in penetrar
sink into afundar-se em
sink money investir dinheiro
sink or swim ou dá ou desce
sink someone's plans afundar com os planos de alguém
sinking feeling depressão (f)
sinking fund fundos (m pl) acumulados para pagar dívida pública

Русский (Russian)
раковина, слив, сточный колодец, выгребная яма, клоака, углубление, тонуть, топить, губить, падать, ронять, понижаться, угасать, исчезать из виду, предавать забвению, проникать, вваливаться (о щеках), доходить (до сознания), вонзать, вкладывать (капитал), уплачивать (долг)

idioms:

sink a well рыть колодец
sink in впитывать, вваливаться, дойти (о смысле)
sink into впадать, погружаться в какое-л. состояние
sink money вкладывать деньги
sink or swim либо пан, либо пропал
sink someone's plans расстроить чьи-л. планы
sinking feeling нехорошее предчувствие
sinking fund амортизационный фонд, фонд погашения

Español (Spanish)
v. intr. - hundirse, irse a pique, bajar, ocultarse, sumergirse, descender, desaparecer, disminuir, menguar, debilitarse, apagarse, decaer, perder las fuerzas, la salud, ceder, caer, bajarse, embeberse, penetrar, grabarse, convertirse, asentarse
v. tr. - hundir, sumir, sumergir, echar a pique, ahondar, excavar, grabar, bajar (la voz, la mano), reducir, depreciar, rebajar, degradar, clavar, perder de vista, deprimir, abatir, hacer desaparecer, ignorar, prescindir de, omitir, suprimir
n. - lavabo, fregadero, sumidero, sentina, hoyo, área pantanosa

idioms:

sink a well buscar una aguja en un pajar
sink in sumirse en, penetrar, bajar
sink into desaparecer, arrellanarse, dejarse caer, hundirse en, penetrar
sink money invertir dinero sin provecho, malbaratar
sink or swim abandonar a su suerte, fracasemos o no (tenemos que hacerlo)
sink someone's plans echar abajo los planes de alguien
sinking feeling sensación en el cuerpo en particular abdomen debido al hambre
sinking fund fondo o caja de amortización

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - slask, vask, diskho, handfat, avloppsrör, avloppsbrunn
v. - sjunka, sänka, gå ned, förfalla, borra

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
下沉, 下陷, 落, 没, 低落, 陷落, 使下沉, 把...插入, 使陷入, 使下垂, 水槽, 水池

idioms:

sink a well 挖个水井
sink in 被了解
sink into 被忘却, 沉入
sink money 浪费金钱
sink or swim 不论好坏, 沉浮全看自己
sink someone's plans 把某人的计划弄坏
sinking feeling 心情颓丧
sinking fund 偿债基金

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. intr. - 下沈, 下陷, 落, 沒, 低落, 陷落
v. tr. - 使下沈, 把...插入, 使陷入, 使下垂
n. - 水槽, 水池

idioms:

sink a well 挖個水井
sink in 被瞭解
sink into 被忘卻, 沉入
sink money 浪費金錢
sink or swim 不論好壞, 沈浮全看自己
sink someone's plans 把某人的計劃弄壞
sinking feeling 心情頹喪
sinking fund 償債基金

한국어 (Korean)
v. intr. - 서서히 내려가다, (해, 달 따위가) 지다, (가치 등이) 감소하다
v. tr. - 가라앉히다, (말뚝 따위를) 박다, 은폐하다
n. - (부엌의) 수채, 하수구, (악의) 소굴

idioms:

sink in 스며들다, 마음에 새기다, (생각 따위가) 충분히 이해되다
sink into ~에 스며들다, 차츰 ~이 되다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 沈む, 沈没する, 沈下する, 傾斜する, 下がる, 弱まる, くぼむ, こける, 破滅させる, 減る, 打ち込む, しみる, 埋める, 隠す
n. - 流し, 洗面台, 下水溝, 巣窟

idioms:

sink a well 井戸を掘る
sink in しみ込む, 十分に理解される
sink into …にしみ込む, 次第に…になる
sink money 投資で金を失う
sink or swim 一か八か, 乗るか反るか
sink someone's plans 人の考えを無視する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) بؤرة فساد أو رذيله, مغسله, بالوعه (فعل) يكتئب, ينهار, يغور, يغرق, يخوض, يغطس‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. intr. - ‮שקע, צלל, טבע, נפל, צנח, ירד, הניח באדמה‬
v. tr. - ‮השקיע, הטביע, הוריד, הניח באדמה, שכח, סילק‬
n. - ‮כיור, בור שופכין, מאורה, חממת-פושעים, מערת-פריצים‬

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		Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
		Thesaurus. Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
		Idioms. The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
		Antonyms. © 1999-2009 by Answers Corporation. All rights reserved. Read more
		Architecture. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
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sink

Contents

Materials

Styles

Ceramic basin construction

Accessories

See also