Shrimp

Shrimp , transitive verb

[Compare Anglo-Saxon scrimman to dry up, wither, Middle High German schrimpfen to shrink, German schrumpfen, Danish skrumpe, skrumpes, Da. & Swedish skrumpen shriveled. Compare Scrimp, Shrink, Shrivel.]

To contract; to shrink. [Obsolete]

Shrimp , noun

[Old English shrimp; -- probably so named from its shriveled appearance. See Shrimp, v.]

(a) (Zoology) Any one of numerous species of macruran Crustacea belonging to Crangon and various allied genera, having a slender body and long legs. Many of them are used as food. The larger kinds are called also prawns.

(b)

(Zoology) In a more general sense, any species of the macruran tribe Caridea, or any species of the order Schizopoda, having a similar form.

(c)

(Zoology) In a loose sense, any small crustacean, including some amphipods and even certain entomostracans; as, the fairy shrimp, and brine shrimp. See under Fairy, and Brine.

Figuratively, a little wrinkled man; a dwarf; -- in contempt.

This weak and writhled shrimp. — Shakespeare

Collocations (4)

Opossum shrimp (Zoology) , See under Opossum.

Spector shrimp or Skeleton shrimp (Zoology) , any slender amphipod crustacean of the genus Caprella and allied genera.

Shrimp catcher (Zoology) , the little tern (Sterna minuta).

Shrimp net , a dredge net fixed upon a pole, or a sweep net dragged over the fishing ground.