Dictionary

trench en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [ˈt̠ɹ̠̊˔ʷɪ̟nt͡ʃ] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• [ˈt̠ɹ̠̊˔ʷɛnt͡ʃ]
• [ˈtɹ̝̊ʷɪ̟nt͡ʃ] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• [ˈtɹ̝̊ʷɛnt͡ʃ]
• /ˈtɹɛnt͡ʃ/
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈtɹɪnt͡ʃ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger

Etymology

Borrowed into Middle English from Old French trenche. Doublet of tranche and traunch. Possible doublet of English: truncate

Meanings

1. A long, narrow ditch or hole in the ground; either manmade, or formed naturally through erosion or tectonic plate movement.
   • The milling action of the bucket line enables the trencher to cut through difficult materials, such as stone rubble and brick filling, and to leave a good trench with clean side walls. 1956 January, “New Permanent Way Equipment on British Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 57:
   • The trenches for installing the underground cables were dug with a trencher.
   • Figure 114 shows how pegs driven into the bottom of a foundation trench to establish a horizontal level for the concreter to work to, can be levelled with a boning rod held upright on the pages at either end of the trench. 1981, Peter Brett, Carpentry and Joinery for Building Craft Students, →ISBN:
2. A narrow excavation as used in warfare, as a cover for besieging or emplaced forces.
   • The soldiers in the trenches rely on logistical support.
   • Following in the tank's wake, the cameliers reached the first line of Turkish trenches, where they confronted a handful of Ottoman soldiers too wounded to retreat. 2015, Eugene Rogan, The Fall of the Ottomans, Penguin, published 2016, page 331:
3. A pit, usually rectangular with smooth walls and floor, excavated during an archaeological investigation.
4. (informal) A trench coat.
   • I was the first person in my high school to wear a trench and fedora constantly, and Ben was one of the first to wear a black trench. 1999, April 24, Xiphias Gladius, "Re: trenchcoat mafia", ne.general.selected, Usenet
   • A classic trench can work in any kind of weather and goes well with almost anything. 2007, Nina Garcia, The Little Black Book of Style, HarperCollins, as excerpted in Elle, October, page 138

Forms

Deriveds

trench-plough · microtrench · trench boot · mini-trench · detrench · trench plate · trench effect · trench art · trench mouth · trenchline · flame trench · trench club · subtrench · trench coat · trench binoculars · trench fever · trench broom · trenchful · trencher · trench dress · trench knife · trench sweeper · micro trenching · entrench · trench cut · trench-plow · in the trenches · trench warfare · nanotrench · betrench · palisade trench · trench foot · trenchward · trenchwork · entrenching tool · trenchwise · trench mortar · retrench · trench derby · trenchlet · trenchlike · countertrench · trenchwards · trench stick · trenchless · trench mentality

Hyponyms

Mariana Trench · Java Trench · fire trench · Sunda Trench · slit trench · stench trench · oceanic trench · Tonga Trench

Relateds

tranche

Translations (195)

ki mũkaro (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sq hendek (military excavation) · be кана́ва (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sl jarek (military excavation) · sh tranšéja (military excavation) · th คู (military excavation) · got 𐌲𐍂𐌰𐌱𐌰 (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ug خەندەك (military excavation) · ks خَنٛدَق (military excavation) · cmn 戰壕 /战壕 (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ur خَنْدَق (military excavation) · lo ຮ່ອງ (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sw handaki (long, narrow ditch or hole) · mk ров (military excavation) · uk транше́я (military excavation) · ka ტრანშეა (long, narrow ditch or hole) · uz okop (military excavation) · bg кана́вка (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ms parit (long, narrow ditch or hole) · it fosso (long, narrow ditch or hole) · enm trenche (military excavation) · et kraav (long, narrow ditch or hole) · id palung (long, narrow ditch or hole) · cs zákop (long, narrow ditch or hole) · mr खंदक (long, narrow ditch or hole) · hy խրամատ (long, narrow ditch or hole) · km ប្រឡាយ (long, narrow ditch or hole) · uk окі́п (military excavation) · et kaevik (military excavation) · be ако́п (military excavation) · nl sloot (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sw mtaro (long, narrow ditch or hole) · gd clais (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sv fåra (long, narrow ditch or hole) · kk жертаса (long, narrow ditch or hole) · la fossa (long, narrow ditch or hole) · pl transzeja (military excavation) · sk zákop (military excavation) · pt trincheira (military excavation) · eo fosaĵo (long, narrow ditch or hole) · it fossato (military excavation) · lv tranšeja (military excavation) · hy խրամ (military excavation) · ug ئاكوپ (military excavation) · sl rov (long, narrow ditch or hole) · it buca (military excavation) · sl jarek (long, narrow ditch or hole) · uz transheya (military excavation) · bg транше́я (military excavation) · kmr siper (military excavation) · uk око́п (military excavation) · sh транше́ја (military excavation) · ko 트렌치 (long, narrow ditch or hole) · fr tranchée (long, narrow ditch or hole) · tr siper (military excavation) · ota آرق (long, narrow ditch or hole) · nl greppel (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sk priekopa (long, narrow ditch or hole) · cs příkop (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ota خندق (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ja 溝 (long, narrow ditch or hole) · gl trincheira (military excavation) · cmn 壕溝 /壕沟 (long, narrow ditch or hole) · cs zákop (military excavation) · uk окі́п (long, narrow ditch or hole) · mk ров (long, narrow ditch or hole) · be траншэ́я (military excavation) · mk транше́ја (military excavation) · ro tranșee (military excavation) · grc τάφρος (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sh òpkop (long, narrow ditch or hole) · fr tranchée (military excavation) · mi awarua (military excavation) · cs brázda (long, narrow ditch or hole) · tr hendek (long, narrow ditch or hole) · hi खाई (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sv dike (long, narrow ditch or hole) · af loopgraaf (military excavation) · pl rów (military excavation) · ota خندق (military excavation) · hi खाई (military excavation) · bg и́зкоп (long, narrow ditch or hole) · pt fosso (long, narrow ditch or hole) · hu árok (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ar خَنْدَق (long, narrow ditch or hole) · tg хандақ (military excavation) · ru око́п (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ka ტრანშეა (military excavation) · lv ierakums (military excavation) · fr fossé (long, narrow ditch or hole) · it trincea (military excavation) · ar خَنْدَق (military excavation) · sh rȍv (long, narrow ditch or hole) · be ако́п (long, narrow ditch or hole) · tg хандақ (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ga díog (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sh járak (long, narrow ditch or hole) · nn skyttargrav (military excavation) · uk транше́я (long, narrow ditch or hole) · gl foxo (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ka თხრილი (long, narrow ditch or hole) · th คู (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ro tranșee (long, narrow ditch or hole) · uk рів (long, narrow ditch or hole) · pl okop (military excavation) · uz xandaq (military excavation) · es trinchera (military excavation) · uk око́п (long, narrow ditch or hole) · be роў (long, narrow ditch or hole) · lo ຄູ (long, narrow ditch or hole) · es trinchera (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sk výkop (long, narrow ditch or hole) · uk рів (military excavation) · gd trainnse (long, narrow ditch or hole) · de Schützengraben (military excavation) · nrf tranchie (long, narrow ditch or hole) · fi juoksuhauta (military excavation) · ru транше́я (military excavation) · el χαράκωμα (long, narrow ditch or hole) · da grøft (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ru транше́я (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ky окоп (military excavation) · tl trintsera (long, narrow ditch or hole) · nl geul (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ka სანგარი (military excavation) · ja トレンチ (long, narrow ditch or hole) · fa ترانشه (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ar أُخْدُود (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sk zákop (long, narrow ditch or hole) · nb skyttergrav (military excavation) · sv ränna (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ps سنګر (military excavation) · be траншэ́я (long, narrow ditch or hole) · it fossato (long, narrow ditch or hole) · pl okop (long, narrow ditch or hole) · th ร่อง (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sv skyttegrav (military excavation) · fa ترانشه (military excavation) · fi oja (long, narrow ditch or hole) · te కందకము (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ky траншея (military excavation) · uk кана́ва (long, narrow ditch or hole) · cy ffos (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ru кана́ва (long, narrow ditch or hole) · lt apkasas (military excavation) · vi hào (long, narrow ditch or hole) · de Graben (military excavation) · yi אַקאָפּע (military excavation) · gl gabia (long, narrow ditch or hole) · az xəndək (military excavation) · sh ро̏в (long, narrow ditch or hole) · el όρυγμα (military excavation) · nb grøft (long, narrow ditch or hole) · tl trintsera (military excavation) · it trincea (long, narrow ditch or hole) · la scrobis (long, narrow ditch or hole) · bo ས་ཤུར (long, narrow ditch or hole) · grc ὄρυγμα (military excavation) · ja 塹壕 (long, narrow ditch or hole) · kk жертаса (military excavation) · he תְּעָלָה (long, narrow ditch or hole) · gl trincheira (long, narrow ditch or hole) · da skyttegrav (military excavation) · ca trinxera (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ms jurang (long, narrow ditch or hole) · vi chiến hào (military excavation) · eo tranĉeo (military excavation) · fa خندق (military excavation) · hy խանդակ (military excavation) · de Graben (long, narrow ditch or hole) · mi kōruarua (military excavation) · bg око́п (military excavation) · kk ор (military excavation) · eu lubaki (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ko 참호 (long, narrow ditch or hole) · cs výkop (long, narrow ditch or hole) · nl loopgraaf (military excavation) · is skotgröf (military excavation) · be роў (military excavation) · ru око́п (military excavation) · sq hendek (long, narrow ditch or hole) · izh kanava (long, narrow ditch or hole) · fi ampumahauta (military excavation) · ru ров (military excavation) · ro fosă (long, narrow ditch or hole) · cs rýha (long, narrow ditch or hole) · ru ров (long, narrow ditch or hole) · fa سنگر (military excavation) · io trancheo (long, narrow ditch or hole) · sh ја́рак (long, narrow ditch or hole) · hu lövészárok (military excavation) · kk траншея (military excavation) · sh о̀пкоп (long, narrow ditch or hole) · pl rów (long, narrow ditch or hole) · cmn 壕溝 /壕沟 (military excavation)

trench en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [ˈt̠ɹ̠̊˔ʷɪ̟nt͡ʃ] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• [ˈt̠ɹ̠̊˔ʷɛnt͡ʃ]
• [ˈtɹ̝̊ʷɪ̟nt͡ʃ] Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger
• [ˈtɹ̝̊ʷɛnt͡ʃ]
• /ˈtɹɛnt͡ʃ/
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈtɹɪnt͡ʃ/ Southern US, African-American Vernacular, pin–pen merger

Etymology

Borrowed into Middle English from Old French trenche. Doublet of tranche and traunch. Possible doublet of English: truncate

Meanings

1. (followed by upon, usually) To invade, especially with regard to the rights or the exclusive authority of another; to encroach.
   • [O]ur ideas, therefore, must trench upon the province of tactics. 2005, Carl von Clausewitz, J. J. Graham, On War, page 261:
   • Shee is the Judge, Thou Executioner, Or if thou needs would'st trench upon her power, Thou mightst have yet enjoy'd thy crueltie, With some more thrift, and more varietie. 1640, Ben Jonson, Underwoods, page 68:
   • Does it not seem as if for a creature to challenge to itself a boundless attribute, were to trench upon the prerogative of the divine nature? 1832, [Isaac Taylor], Saturday Evening. […], London: Holdsworth and Ball, →OCLC:
   • He could make what laws he pleased, as long as those laws did not trench upon property rights. 1949, Charles Austin Beard, American Government and Politics, page 16:
2. (qualifier:infantry) To excavate an elongated pit for protection of soldiers and or equipment, usually perpendicular to the line of sight toward the enemy.
   • Advanc'd upon the field there stood a mound Of earth congested, wall'd , and trench'd around 1715–1720, Homer, “(please specify the book of the Iliad or chapter quoted from)”, in Alexander Pope, transl., The Iliad of Homer, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: […] W[illiam] Bowyer, for Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC:
   • No more shall trenching war channel her fields. c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
3. To excavate an elongated and often narrow pit.
4. To have direction; to aim or tend.
   • the reason and consequence thereof may trench to point of estate 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Judicature”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
5. To cut; to form or shape by cutting; to make by incision, hewing, etc.
   • This weak impress of love is as a figure / Trenched in ice, which with an hour's heat Dissolves to water, and doth lose its form. c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]:
   • The wide wound that the boar had trenched / In his soft flank. 1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC:
6. To cut furrows or ditches in.
   • to trench land for the purpose of draining it
7. To dig or cultivate very deeply, usually by digging parallel contiguous trenches in succession, filling each from the next.
   • to trench a garden for certain crops

Forms

Relateds

trenchant