King James Bible Dictionary

TRENCH, verb transitive

1. To cut or dig, as a ditch, a channel for water, or a long hollow in the earth. We trench land for draining. [This is the appropriate sense of the word.]

2. To fortify by cutting a ditch and raising a rampart or breast-work of earth thrown out of the ditch. [In this sense, entrench is more generally used.]

3. To furrow; to form with deep furrows by plowing.

4. To cut a long gash. [Not in use.]

TRENCH, verb intransitive To encroach. [See Entrench.]

TRENCH, noun A long narrow cut in the earth; a ditch; as a trench for draining land.

1. In fortification, a deep ditch cut for defense, or to interrupt the approach of an enemy. The wall or breast-work formed by the earth thrown out of the ditch, is also called a trench as also any raised work formed with bavins, gabions, wool-packs or other solid materials, Hence, the phrases, to mount the trenches, to guard the trenches, to clear the trenches, etc.open the trenches, to begin to dig, or to form the lines of approach.

TRENCH'ANT, adjective Cutting; sharp. [Little used.]

TRENCH'ED, participle passive Cut into long hollows or ditches; furrowed deep.

TRENCH'ER, noun A wooden plate. Trenchers were in use among the common people of New England till the revolution.

1. The table.

2. Food; pleasures of the table.

It would be no ordinary declension that would bring some men to place their summum bonum upon their trenchers.

TRENCH'ER-FLY, noun [trencher and fly.] One that haunts the tables of others; a parasite.

TRENCH'ER-FRIEND, noun [trencher and friend.] One who frequents the tables of others; a spunger.

TRENCH'ER-MAN, noun [trencher and man.]

1. A feeder; a great eater.

2. A cook.

TRENCH'ER-MATE, noun [trencher and mate.] A table companion; a parasite.

TRENCH'ING, participle present tense Cutting into trenches; digging; ditching.

TRENCH'-PLOW, noun [trench and plow.] A kind of plow for opening land to a greater depth than that of common furrows.

TRENCH'-PLOW, verb transitive [trench and plow.] To plow with deep furrows.

TRENCH'-PLOWING, noun The practice or operation of plowing with deep furrows, for the purpose of loosening the land to a greater depth than usual.