Definition of the word sink into

The origin of the phrase "sink into" can be traced back to Old English, specifically to the verb "sincan," which meant "to cause to sink" or "to cause to set." This verb is related to the Old Norse word "sinka" and the Old High German word "sinkon" meaning "to cause to sink" as well. In Middle English, the word "sinken" began to be used as both a verb meaning "to cause to sink" and a noun meaning "a sinking or submerging." This dual usage helped to shape the modern prefatory usage of "sink into," where it implies a gradual process of someone or something coming to a state or condition, as if sinking into it. The modern meaning of "sink into" as a phrasal verb used in everyday English evokes images of sinking or descending into something, whether it be a state of mind, a substance, or simply an environment. It is frequently used in literature and media to convey a sense of gradual immersion or absorption.