這一對詞原來都是動詞shrink的過去分詞,現(xiàn)在只用shrunk作過去分詞,而shrunken則用作形容詞,它們都表示“收縮的”、“皺縮的”之意。shrunken是定語形容詞,用在名詞之前。例:
My hat has shrunk so much that it no longer fits me.
這頂帽收縮得很厲害,我戴不了啦。
My gums have shrunk.
我的牙齦已經收縮。
The doctor is examining the shrunken body of a starving child.
醫(yī)生正檢查小孩餓瘦了的身軀。
Facing high inflation and heavy taxation, the worker can hardly live on their shrunken wages.
面對高通漲及重稅,工人難以以收縮了的工資為生。
與之類似區(qū)別的詞有sunk和sunken。這兩個字都是sink的過去分詞,表示“沉下”、“下陷”之意,但前者用作動詞,而后者則用作定語形容詞,放在它所修飾的名詞之前。如:
The ship has sunk quickly in the waves.
The ship was sunk by a torpedo.
a sunken basement下陷的地下室
a sunken ship沉沒之船
sunken eyes (cheeks)凹陷的眼睛(臉頰)