1no object Go down below the surface of something, especially of a liquid; become submerged.

1. 1.1 (of a ship) go to the bottom of the sea or some other body of water because of damage or a collision.
   the trawler sank with the loss of all six crew

   Example sentencesExamples

   • ‘A sea of fire stretched from stem to stern,’ one crewman observed as the ship sank, her aft section ripped away.
   • We just looked at each other as the boat sank silently to the bottom of the cold, black, incredibly scary lake.
   • One man died and two crewmen were seriously injured on Thursday night when their cargo ship sank near Sai Kung waters.
   • We kept getting closer and closer to the water as the ship sank.
   • The government's response was to distance itself from the tragedy, claiming repeatedly that the boat had sunk in Indonesian waters.
   • The vessel has sunk at its moorings several times in recent years and needed pumping out by fire fighters.
   • Ninety years ago this week, the world's most famous ocean liner sank to a frigid grave in the icy waters of the North Atlantic.
   • As the three of them looked on, the ship was sinking slowly and steadily into the water.
   • Officials detonated three sets of explosive charges on board, and the 2,500-ton vessel slowly sank below the surface.
   • One ship sinks, many sailors die, and Martin points out to Candide that the gruesome affair further proves his point.
   • As the last English galley sinks below the waves, an English emissary arrives at Bangalore under a white flag of truce.
   • This ship sank while underway, and now rests on its starboard side.
   • If the seacock for the engine intake is left open, the boat sinks when the ice thaws.
   • Most involve people who never expected to end up in the water, but fell overboard or ended up in the water when the boat sank.
   • Meanwhile, as sure as night follows day a refugee boat has sunk with loss of life.
   • Salvors fear the ship will sink if the engine room and one of the holds is ‘lost’ during the next refloating attempt.
   • What do you grab onto when the ship is sinking and the waters are closing over your head?
   • Of Scharnhorst's crew of 1,968, just 36 were rescued from the icy waters as their wrecked ship sank.
   • Three weeks after the original boat sank, the second Cabin Fever ship hit rocky waters again yesterday when it was shore-bound with gear box problems.
   • The ship sank, killing seven of the crew, and collapsing two pylons and 127 metres of bridge decking into water 110 feet deep.

   Synonyms

   founder, go under, submerge, capsize
2. 1.2with object Cause (a ship) to sink.
   a freak wave sank their boat near the shore

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Submarines were supposed to surface and give crews time to abandon ship before sinking their vessels.
   • That was the night Japanese submarines attacked Sydney, sinking the accommodation ferry Kuttabul and claiming the lives of 21 sailors.
   • Gale force winds and strong tides sank a rowing boat on the Thames in Barnes on Sunday.
   • An initial examination revealed that a water pipe used to cool the engine had broken and flooded the engine room, nearly sinking the ship.
   • One Carthaginian sea captain sank his ship rather than let his charts fall into Roman hands.
   • He was sailing a ship during a violent storm that had all but sunk the vessel.
   • During that time German and Italian submarines sank nearly 2,900 merchant ships, suffering 867 losses themselves.
   • Navy coastguard personnel retrieved seven crewmembers who had been working on a Sattahip fishing vessel after strong waves sank their boat.
   • The English had lost some 450 men with 1250 wounded and no ships sunk or captured.
   • So, Ford wants to sink the ship rather than allow the flagship of the Russian sub fleet get into enemy hands.
   • If they throw us a crumb, it's like pirates who have sunk your ship, murdered your family, and burned your village giving you a lifeboat to sail away on.
   • German submarines eventually sank 391 ships in the western Atlantic, 141 of which were tankers.
   • Last December, the Japanese Coast Guard sunk an unidentified ship, claiming it was a North Korean spy ship.
   • The ship is sunk, the whale-boats destroyed, and Ahab himself is yanked to his death by the very iron he himself forged.
   • When the British finally vacated the base in 1946, rather than giving anyone else the pleasure of sinking the ship that had proved so hard to kill, one of their destroyers was given the task.
   • Some 69 boats were sunk or destroyed when the hurricane took out concrete piers anchoring the floating docks.
   • Murray dropped a cannon overboard into the canoe of Islanders who paddled out to meet the ship, sinking their vessel and allowing the ship's crew to grab the floating men.
   • It does seem a bit inappropriate though considering the unsinkable ship was sunk by an iceberg all those years ago.
   • Apart from sinking the accommodation ship HMAS Kuttabul, with the loss of 21 lives, the attack caused little other damage.
   • The captain of a big ship sinks a small boat because, otherwise, both will drown at a particular juncture.

   Synonyms

   scupper, scuttle, send to the bottom, open the seacocks in
3. 1.3 Fail and not be seen or heard of again.
   the film sank virtually without trace

   Example sentencesExamples

   • She has sunk into the background in the past two weeks - friends say that she has had enough of the stress and has decided to no longer face the public gaze.
   • Hugh Laurie's intelligence and charm keep this strained romantic comedy from sinking completely.
   • Even Hayek's buoyant presence fails to keep this cinematic clunker from sinking.
   • Audiences stayed away and the film sank away without a trace at the theaters.
   • How did the media magically decide that he is struggling, sinking, tanking, you know, five months before anyone gets to vote?
   • The town of Catania lost all its inhabitants, and ultimately sank into complete oblivion.
   • You want to sink into oblivion, and you can't find a way.
   • As for movies, Blade Runner ran by them, Star Wars failed to shine, and Titanic sank without trace.
   • A complex land-swap deal will sink if the city reneges on existing deals.
   • With obviously limited spectator value it swiftly sank without trace before the next Olympics.
4. 1.4with object Cause to fail.
   this pledge could sink the government

   Example sentencesExamples

   • She sank his chances in a single speech and a memorable phrase.
   • Their public revelation of the deal's contents even before the votes were cast looked very much like a bid to sink a free and open election.
   • That one-two punch effectively sunk her acting career for good.
   • The bid was finally sunk last weekend when the existing course could not stand up to torrential rain.
   • The public lies were huge enough to have sunk their governments in cleaner times.
   • On Europe, the UK Independence Party has apparently sunk this strategy because it shows that only the Tories are the sensible pragmatists.
   • On Wednesday another Zambian, Linos Chalwe, was the toast of Manning Rangers as his goal on debut sunk Golden Arrows.
   • Independent film review sites can sink a film in hours.
   • Organizational and project-management risks have sunk many a project that was technically feasible.
   • However, despite the enthusiastic endorsement of the Welsh clubs, the SRU's rejection appears to have sunk the plan.
   • She had to beat him during a highly-charged tussle at Glasgow's Braehead Area to qualify for the opportunity to sink the opposition in Bismarck.
   • One group of Leeds fans made a joke of the Scottish weather by donning snorkels and diving masks, but it was their hopes which were sunk without trace by the final whistle.
   • Opponents of the regional assembly had called for North Yorkshire to be given a veto to sink the plans if a majority of the county's residents oppose them.
   • Yet it is the criminality that has sunk a cosy deal.
   • The sports minister later told the Dáil it was wrong to assume that the failure to name two Irish venues would sink the bid.
   • Nevertheless, although the movie's self-importance causes the project to take on water, it fails to sink it.
   • The mud and a mighty Bristol pack almost sunk our team as Bristol's heroes were shattered by a slithering score from… yes, Richard Hill.
   • His involvement has really sunk us.
   • Even if it rains the entire time, it won't totally sink your plans.
   • And it was Robert Anderson's report of yesterday that has sunk Jobie Dajka's Olympic hopes, it seems.

   Synonyms

   destroy, ruin, wreck, put an end to, be the ruin/ruination of, wreak havoc on, demolish, devastate, blast, blight, smash, shatter, dash, torpedo, scotch, sabotage

   informal put the kibosh on, put the skids under, put paid to, banjax, do for, blow a hole in, nix

   British informal scupper, dish, throw a spanner in the works of

   North American informal throw a monkey wrench in the works of

   Australian informal euchre, cruel

   archaic bring to naught
5. 1.5with object Conceal, keep in the background, or ignore.
   they agreed to sink their differences

   Example sentencesExamples

   • In 1828 liberals and Catholics sank their differences and joined constitutional associations to force William to give ground.
   • It was this anomalous situation that compelled the French left to sink their differences and form a common front against the ruling Gaullists.
   • Where village welfare is concerned, these fishermen sink their differences and work together for the overall good of everyone.
   • One wonders how many of Sharp's critics today would be prepared to sink their own prejudices and defy political correctness in order to do so.
   • The sheikh also hoped that the leaders will try to sink their differences for the best interest of the movement.
   • He has appealed to all doctors to sink their differences and come together in the larger interests of the doctors' community.
   • Subsequently, the two managed to sink their differences.

   Synonyms

   ignore, overlook, disregard, forget, put aside, set aside, put to one side, bury, consign to oblivion

2no object Descend from a higher to a lower position; drop downwards.

1. 2.1 (of a person) lower oneself or drop down gently.
   she sank back on to her pillow

   Example sentencesExamples

   • He could feel his body sink slowly into the bed and his back cracked, relieving some of the tension that had built up all day.
   • Jason picked up the phone and dropped it on the ground before sinking to his knees.
   • She began to walk out the door but she heard him sink down on the bed dejectedly.
   • I sank into the deep blue luxurious cushions and looked round.
   • I tried to sink a little bit deeper in my chair, hoping no one would see me.
   • I sank into the pool completely, shook my messy blonde hair with my hands, and styled it back several times so that it would look more organized.
   • I relaxed completely, sinking down in my seat until my head hit the top of my chair.
   • He glances at his watch, moves his coffee to the dash and sinks a little lower in the car seat.
   • I let my body sink into the great white cloud of bubbles.
   • As Sharapova sank to her knees at winning the Wimbledon title four months ago, she provided the perfect solution for the people who market women's tennis.
   • He heard soft footsteps and sank slowly to the floor.
   • I sighed deeply, letting my body sink down into the comforter, too fatigued to try and appear in control in all the ways I clearly wasn't.
   • Francis and Metropolis fell silent and sank into their seats.
   • Exhausted, Ben sank into the chair and dropped his head against the bed.
   • His grip on me slowly weakened, he sank to his knees, and he vanished.
   • The attack continued even when the man had sunk to his knees.
   • Adam's smile faded and he sank back into the bed, looking small and tired, sensing their thoughts.
   • He sank to a sitting position with his back against the door, pulling his knees to his chest.
   • She struggled to get up but failed miserably as she sunk back down.
   • Max gave him a big fake smile, which quickly faded as he sunk into the couch.

   Synonyms

   lower oneself, flop, collapse, drop down, slump, plump oneself

   informal plonk oneself, plop oneself

   North American informal plank oneself
2. 2.2with adverbial of direction Gradually penetrate into the surface of something.
   her feet sank into the thick pile of the carpet

   Example sentencesExamples

   • She stood on top of the snow, unlike Hildor who sank knee deep into the white powder.
   • The sludge was so soft and sticky it had a quicksand effect, for the more he tried to free himself, the deeper he sank into the mud.
   • She ran across the spongy ground, her feet sinking and sliding in the mud.
   • With the first frosts of approaching winter, the surface waters are chilled, increasing in density, and they begin to sink into and below the summer bottom layer.
   • And there are a lot of parts where our feet sink a little in the mud.
   • Walking was tiresome as his feet sank into the surface by 4 or 5 inches every step.
   • The ground opened up below him and he sunk into the sand, leaving the stone behind.
   • The waves slowly rolled over her feet as they sunk into the wet sand.
   • Feet sunk into the ground as she took out her camera.
   • We can almost hear our own boots sinking into the jungle mud.
   • After the war it was uncovered, however most of the glass had either washed away or sunk into the chalk below.
   • The body spilled from the spire, sinking into the sand below.
   • Slowly, my feet sunk to the ground and I realized I had shut my eyes out of instinct.
   • But in densely built cities, about three-quarters of the rainfall fails to sink into the ground or evaporate.
   • They must sleep in complete darkness, so many vampires go to graveyards or simply sink into the ground, to rise again when the sun sets.
   • It is almost amusing, to watch whomever it is drag themselves through it, as their feet sink to the ground almost immediately.
   • I was about to say something when I realized my shoe was sinking in the mud.
   • As I walked in my feet sank into the thick cream carpet.
   • My feet sunk into the countless, forgiving blades as a cricket chirped and brown moths battered themselves against the dim porch light.
   • I felt my fangs sink into flesh and I heard him scream.

3no object Gradually decrease or decline in value, amount, quality, or intensity.

1. 3.1 Lapse or fall into a particular state or condition.
   he sank into a coma after suffering a brain haemorrhage

   Example sentencesExamples

   • By six months, every single one sinks into malnutrition.
   • I lost my independence with my sight and sank into a deep depression for many years.
   • But as the world sank into depression, few could afford these cars.
   • He checked the hotch-potch of crumpled notes in his jacket pocket and sank into a deeper depression.
   • The troubled prodigies, Slater and Elliott, each sank into a deep funk.
   • Her life sank thereafter into drug and alcohol abuse and institutionalization.
   • The only thing that allowed them to keep from sinking completely into the depths of misery was the thought of going back down to the earth.
   • Maybe it's just me who's decaying, sinking into a state of complete insensibility, and not knowing what to do to fix it.
   • Temporarily disoriented and without any immediate answers, on the way toward recovery, she sank into depression.
   • But as Marisa sank into a depression, Sandra picked up and changed her life.
   • The rattle of its hooves was the last thing Hoss heard as he sank into unconsciousness.
   • Crowds fell and Boothferry Park sank into disrepair.
   • It is said that Schoen sank into a depression after the defeat.
   • Our society has almost sunk into abysmal moral degeneration and deterioration.
   • But now, more than ever, he seemed to have completely sunk into the depths of dejection.
   • She took a year off work but after three months began sinking into a depression.
   • Although it had enjoyed a brief flourishing under Cardinal Richelieu in the 1630s, Mazarin had allowed the navy to sink into decay.
   • Only the discovery of oil has prevented the country from sinking into complete misery.
   • I screamed my rage at God for letting it happen and then sank into a depression that Sam was gone.
   • Incapable of reforming itself in the spirit of the new times, the decrepit empire sank into a deep economic and social crisis which it never overcame.
2. 3.2 Approach death.
   the doctor concluded that the lad was sinking fast

   Example sentencesExamples

   • The physicians attending the President have announced that he is sinking fast.

   Synonyms

   deteriorate, decline, fade, fail, weaken, grow weak, flag, languish, degenerate, decay, waste away

   be at death's door, be on one's deathbed, be breathing one's last, be about to die, be approaching death, be slipping away, have one foot in the grave, be in extremis, become moribund

   informal go downhill, be on one's last legs, be giving up the ghost

4with object Insert beneath a surface.

1. 4.1sink something into Cause something sharp to penetrate (a surface)
   the dog sank its teeth into her arm

   Example sentencesExamples

   • For a man who often seems to climb like a half-shut knife, he surely knows how to sink the blade in.
   • Whether or not you agree with the film's conclusions, you are sure to feel more honest with yourself on your decision on whether to sink your teeth into a beef or vegetarian patty if you attend the screening and participate in the debate.
   • She leapt, and sunk the blade into his flesh, again and again, with sadistic pleasure.
   • I sink my teeth into the hot, steamy, juicy delicacy.
   • The dog sinks his teeth into the young man's meatballs.
   • But instead of sinking his teeth into a succulent pork, egg and pastry treat, Mr Davis found he was crunching glass.
   • Tearing one last time at her skin, she sunk her nails deeper into her flesh and howled loudly, before going limp.
   • This particular store seemed to be on an exotic fruit trip and was piled high with things that Zachery hadn't yet sunk his teeth into.
   • There's nothing your native Korean likes better than to sink his teeth into a dog, a reversal of the age-old trend.
   • These noble big dogs will bleed the ground red as they sink their teeth into one another in the name of nations great and small.
   • Residents in Penhill will soon be sinking their teeth into succulent pears, plums and cherries all carefully tended by their own green fingers.
   • The large cat had sprung on her in her trace-like state and sunk its fangs deep into her leg.
   • Miss Walkden spotted the dogs running towards her and picked up her 11-year-old pet - but one of the animals, a pit bull terrier, repeatedly lunged at her, attempting to sink its teeth into Sooty.
   • Man and cougar went to the ground as the cat stripped the flesh from Parker's face and prepared to sink its teeth into his neck.
   • Without the aid of soy sauce or wasabi, our dishevelled hero sinks his teeth into the head of a live and writhing squid.
   • Seiru sunk his fangs deep into the middle neck, the warm blood tasting sweet on his tongue.
   • He snaps at her with his sharp teeth and sinks them into her paw.
   • Aligore sunk his claws deep into the dragon's hide, then he began to slash.
   • Asgard purposefully sunk his Blade into the thin red slit and pulled it sideways and down, enlarging it.
   • Notwithstanding the extreme cruelty shown to these animals, most of us fail to spare a thought on the matter, before sinking our teeth into a non-vegetarian fare.
   • Frankly, I delight in seeing people eagerly sink their teeth into the soft, burning hot, yellowish vegetable, defying the scalding heat of the sweet, sticky juice oozing from under the crisp rind.
   • To widen the choice for the guests and ensure that there are more than just juicy fish chunks for guests to sink their teeth into, buffet lunch and dinner are also being served during the festival days.
   • Arin had sunk his claws deep within the angel's arm and had used his other hand to break Lucius's wing.
   • She was immediately set upon by his faithful setter, who sank fangs deep into the vampire's throat and almost severed her head from her body.
2. 4.2with object and adverbial Push or thrust (an object) into something.
   Kelly stood watching, her hands sunk deep into her pockets

   Example sentencesExamples

   • According to the pole-vaulting textbook, a pole parallel to the ground is used which is then planted into a box sunk below ground level.
   • Ignoring her flailing limbs, and ignoring her desperate screams, Bryan sunk his hand into the bucket, which Christie had dropped only a minute earlier.
   • She sank her hands into her pockets.
3. 4.3 Excavate (a well) or bore (a shaft) vertically downwards.
   they planned to sink a gold mine in Oklahoma

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Three shafts had been sunk, the deepest more than forty metres.
   • We sunk that well, and lo and behold, we heard tapping at the bottom of that well, and that just started the whole thing rolling.
   • In May 1884 C.W. Marsh was sinking a trial shaft hoping to find gold but only found indications of fossils.
   • Today I heard of a borewell sunk to 270 feet that has gone dry; a new one has had to go down to 570 feet before striking water.
   • The shaft had been sunk an additional 2,518 feet since the start of the project and now had an inclined depth of 6,818 feet.

   Synonyms

   dig, excavate, bore, drill
4. 4.4 Hit (a ball) into a hole in golf or snooker.
   he sank the black into the green pocket to secure victory

   Example sentencesExamples

   • I would love to do something that meant more than sinking four-foot putts.
   • Hogan sinks the putt and the crowd goes tearfully goofy.
   • Clarkie sank a ball and snookered Dave but this just made him play with more determination.
   • Your best chance for making birdies is to sink some long putts - and avoid the dreaded three-putt.
   • Presumably Barber would have sunk an 80-footer had there been another hole.
   • Scott was in the same bunker and got out and sank a good putt for a birdie.
   • And he then relied on his putter for salvation at his two closing holes where he sank a couple of ten-footers that just about kept him in the hunt.
   • Gray got a snooker, then sank the last red, potted a great black and cleared up to win the frame 54-53 for 8-8.
   • We got to the end of the first hole and Warren sank a putt for par.
   • What kind of professional pool player doesn't know that you have to sink the black ball last?
5. 4.5 (in golf) hit the ball into the hole with (a putt or other shot)
   he sank a four-foot birdie putt at the fifth hole

   Example sentencesExamples

   • Hogan sinks the putt and the crowd goes tearfully goofy.
   • Your best chance for making birdies is to sink some long putts - and avoid the dreaded three-putt.
   • Scott was in the same bunker and got out and sank a good putt for a birdie.
   • I would love to do something that meant more than sinking four-foot putts.
   • We got to the end of the first hole and Warren sank a putt for par.

5British informal with object Rapidly consume (an alcoholic drink)

1A fixed basin with a water supply and outflow pipe.

2A pool or marsh in which a river's water disappears by evaporation or percolation.

1. 2.1technical A body or process which acts to absorb or remove energy or a particular component from a system.
   a heat sink

   The opposite of source

   the oceans can act as a sink for CO₂

   Example sentencesExamples

   • How do you view the potential of planting trees as a sink for CO2 at the moment?
   • The marine environment provides a sink for many natural and anthropogenically derived chemicals.
   • Therefore, bacteria were not a major sink for the nitrate tracer.
   • We had a bloom a couple of years ago in Jervis Bay, NSW so we know that they can be very abundant and in the oceans they're actually the major sink for carbon dioxide.
   • The newly formed sprout may function as a sink for the low molecular weight products of starch degradation.

3

4A place of vice or corruption.

1. 4.1British usually as modifier A school or estate situated in a socially deprived area.
   the local sink school

   a sink estate

   Example sentencesExamples

   • The residents don't want the area to turn into a sink estate, and who can blame them?
   • But in the sink estates and poor areas of Great Britain drugs like this nearly always lead onto harder ones and cause devastating effects little reported.
   • Schools in sink estates send more pupils into unemployment than to further or higher education.
   • It wants to bring in private firms to compete with sink state schools.
   • Over half the population is under the age of 25, educated in sink schools with few prospects of decent jobs after graduation.