Shrinkingly

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a manner that indicates a decrease in dimension or impact
2. With a disposition towards becoming smaller or less influential
3. In a way that shows reluctance or hesitation to act or respond

Etymology: "Shrinkingly" is about as transparent as English compounds get: it is the adjective "shrinking" (from the verb "shrink," meaning to draw back or contract) with the adverbial ending "-ly" attached. The "-ly" suffix, descended from Old English "-lic" and meaning "in the manner of," turns the adjective into an adverb describing how someone acts. So to act shrinkingly is to act in the manner of someone drawing back. That physical sense of drawing back is what carries the meaning here. The verb "shrink" originally described contraction, as when cloth shrinks or a body recoils, and the step from shrinking from a touch to shrinking from a task is a short one. The adverb therefore keeps the image of pulling away and applies it to hesitation, so a person who speaks or acts shrinkingly is holding back, as if the act itself might cost something.

Synonyms: diminutively, contractingly

Antonyms: expansively