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To contract; to shrink. |
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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. See Illust. of Decapoda. |
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In a more general sense, any species of the macruran tribe
Caridea, or any species of the order Schizopoda, having a similar form. |
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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. |
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Figuratively, a little wrinkled man; a dwarf; -- in
contempt. |