sinking

/'siɳkiɳ/
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sinking

A child feels a sinking feeling after losing a toy.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A slow or gradual fall, descent, or decline: The act or process of moving downward, often through a liquid, or decreasing in level, value, or strength.
    • A feeling of uneasiness, apprehension, or dread: A specific emotional sensation often described as a physical feeling in the stomach or chest.
    • The event of a vessel going under the surface of water: The specific act or instance of a ship or boat submerging.
Usage and Examples
  • Noun (Physical Descent/Decline):
    • The slow sinking of the sun below the horizon was beautiful.
    • Economists are concerned about the sinking of the currency's value.
  • Noun (Emotional Feeling):
    • She felt a sudden sinking in her stomach when she heard the bad news.
    • With a sinking heart, he opened the envelope.
  • Noun (Maritime Event):
    • The sinking of the Titanic is a famous historical disaster.
    • The investigation focused on the cause of the ship's sinking.
Advanced Usage
  • "a sinking feeling": A strong idiom describing a sudden sensation of dread or disappointment.
    • I had a sinking feeling that I had forgotten my passport at home.
  • "sinking fund": A financial term for a fund established to repay a debt or for depreciation.
    • The company set up a sinking fund to retire its bonds early.
Variants and Related Words
  • Sink (verb): To descend or cause to descend below a surface; to decline.
    • The stone will sink in water.
    • His spirits began to sink.
  • Sunk (adjective/verb past participle): Having descended; beyond help.
    • The sunk cost cannot be recovered.
  • Sinkable (adjective): Capable of being sunk.
    • The model boat was sinkable.
Synonyms
  • Descent: The act of moving downward.
  • Decline: A gradual and continuous loss of strength, value, or quality.
  • Subsidence: The gradual caving in or sinking of an area of land.
  • Dread: A feeling of great fear or apprehension.
Related Phrasal Verbs (from the root verb 'sink')
  • Sink in: To become fully understood or comprehended.
    • The news took a moment to sink in.
  • Sink into: To gradually enter a state (often negative).
    • He sank into a deep depression.
Related Idioms
  • Like a sinking ship: Referring to a failing enterprise that people are abandoning.
    • After the scandal, the company was like a sinking ship.
  • Sinking spell: A period of decline or failing health.
    • The patient had a sinking spell overnight.
sinking

A child feels a sinking feeling after losing a toy.

Noun
  1. a feeling caused by uneasiness or apprehension
    • with a sinking heart
    • a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach
  2. a slow fall or decline (as for lack of strength)
    • after several hours of sinking an unexpected rally rescued the market
    • he could not control the sinking of his legs
  3. a descent as through liquid (especially through water)
    • they still talk about the sinking of the Titanic