v (1)(使)下沉，(使)沉没，落下((cause to)fall or drop，go down below the surface;fall gradually and slowly downwards)[I，I+prep，I+adv，T+n]：Wood floats on water but metal～s. 木头能漂浮在水面，而金属却下沉。The ship sank with all her crew/to the bottom of the sea. 那艘船和所有的船员都沉没了/沉入海底。The moon sank behind the mountain. 月亮落到山背后去了。The sun is gradually～ing low/below the horizon. 太阳正徐徐落下/落到地平线下。His feet sank deep into the mud. 他的双脚深深陷进泥里。That ship was sunk by a storm/a submarine. 那艘船因暴风雨而沉没/被潜水艇击沉了。

(2)下陷(go down gradually)[I，I+prep]：The roof is beginning to～. 屋顶开始凹陷。The building sank under its weight. 那座建筑因其本身的重量而下沉。The ground suddenly sank under his feet. 他脚下的土地突然陷下去了。

(3)(液体)降低，减少((of liquid) fall gradually to a lower level;become smaller in quantity)[I]：The lake has sunk much below its former level. 湖水比先前又降低了许多。The floods are～ing rapidly. 洪水退得很快。

(4)减弱(少)，贬值(become less in degree，force，amount or value)[I，I+prep]：The storm is beginning to～. 暴风雨开始减弱。Their standard of living sank steadily. 他们的生活水平不断下降。Her voice sank to a whisper. 她的声音小得成了耳语。The shares have sunk in price. 股票的价格下跌了。The population of the island has sunk from 100 to 20. 那个岛上的人口已从100人减少到20人。～in the estimation of one's friends (fig)在朋友中人缘越来越差;

(5)挖掘(make by digging or boring)[T+n，T+n+prep]：～a hole/a well/a mine 挖个洞/打口井/开个矿;～a tunnel into a hill 在山中挖隧道;

(6)埋(打)入(bury or fix into the ground)[T+n，T+n+prep]：～a pipe/a cable 埋设一条管道/电缆;～a post ten feet into the ground 把桩打入地下10英尺的地方;

(7)(身体或其部分)下垂，倒(落)下((of the body or a part of the body) (let) fall or slide down gradually;drop down)[I，I+prep，I+adv，T+n+prep]：My heart sank. 我的心一沉(感到失望)。～into a chair 一屁股坐进椅子里;Her head sank onto her chest. 她的头垂在胸前。She sank to the floor in a faint. 她昏倒在地。She sank down on the bench and waited for the next bus. 她在长凳上坐下来，等下一班公共汽车。～one's head in one's hands 用手抱住了头;

(8)凹陷(become or seem deep or hollow)[I+adv]：His eyes/cheeks have sunk in. 他的眼睛/面颊凹下去了。

(9)渗入(go gradually into;be absorbed)[I+prep]：The rain sank into the dry and thirsty land. 雨水渗入干旱的土地。The rain sank through his clothes. 雨水湿透了他的衣服。The dye～s in well. 这种染料容易渗进去。

(10)陷入某种状态(pass or fall into some state)[I+prep (into)]：～into a coma/a deep sleep 陷入昏迷/沉沉入睡;～into deep thought/meditation 陷入沉思;～into poverty/misery/despair陷入贫困/痛苦/绝望之中;

(11)堕落(go down so far morally as to do sth)[I+prep (to)]：I didn't imagine that he would～to cheating. 我没有想到他会堕落到行骗的地步。

(12)投资(invest in some business)[T+n+prep (in/into)]：～money in an enterprise 投资于一个企业;He sank all his capital in house-building. 他把所有的资金都投资于房屋建造了。

sink one's differences 摒弃分歧：Let's～our differences and unite to finish the task. 让我们摒弃分歧，团结起来完成任务。

sink or swim 成败全靠自己，无论成败; I was left to～or swim. 成败全靠我自己了。S～or swim，I will try. 无论成败，我都要试一试。

sink in (v adv)完全理解(vi)：Everybody laughed at the joke but Tom;it took a moment for it to～in before he laughed too. 听到那个笑话，除了汤姆以外大家都笑了。过了一会儿他才明白过来，跟着也笑了。

→′sinkable adj 会沉的;′sinker n 掘(矿)井工人，铅坠;′sinkhole n 污水坑，排水口;′sunken adj 沉没的，下(凹)陷的;

n 洗涤槽(basin for washing，as in a kitchen，with a pipe for draining off dirty water)[C]：a kitchen～厨房内的洗涤槽;a～unit 洗涤槽组合台