The form intrench is that favored by mod. Dicts., but in recent use entrench seems to be more frequent.]
1. trans. (Mil.) To place within a trench; to surround or fortify (a post, army, town, etc.) with trenches. Also refl.
α. 1563. Golding, Cæsar (1565), 205 b. They shoulde be as good as entrenched.
1629. S’hertogenbosh, 47. The Gouernour … propounding that the Vuchteren wall should be entrenched.
1643. Cromwell, Lett., 11 Sept. The Enemy hath entrenched himself over against Hull.
1693. Mem. Cnt. Teckely, IV. 34. One side covered by a Hill, which was not entrenched.
1783. Watson, Philip III. (1839), 23. Giving them instructions to entrench themselves at the village of Hervorden.
1813. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., XI. 177. A camp which they had strongly entrenched.
1845. Sarah Austin, trans. Ranke’s Hist. Ref., II. 353. They might entrench themselves opposite to the enemy.
1873. Dixon, Two Queens, I. i. i. 3. They lay entrenched along the Ebro.
β. 1555. Eden, Decades W. Ind., I. III. (Arb.), 78. Open gardens, not intrenched with dykes.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes (1638), 303. Mustapha intrenched his army vpon the rising of a hill.
1757. Burke, Abridgm. Eng. Hist., Wks. 1808, X. 409. Here he found the enemy strongly intrenched.
1810. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., VI. 39. It might be advantageous to intrench one or more positions.
1864. Sala, in Daily Tel., 21 Sept., 5/2. If one side can’t stand the fire, they retire, and intrench themselves somewhere else.
b. absol.
1583. T. Stocker, Civ. Warres Lowe Countr., II. 59. This night, likewise, the Enemie beganne to entrenche in Isseene waie.
1590. Marlowe, 2nd Pt. Tamburl., III. iii. Raise mounts, batter, intrench, and undermine.
1623. Bingham, Xenophon, 32. Hee is intrenching or raising a wall somewhere to blocke vp our way.
1769. Goldsm., Rom. Hist. (1786), I. 46. Cæsar … began to entrench also behind him.
2. transf. and fig.
α. a. 1594. Marlowe & Nashe, Dido, I. i. Finding Æolus entrench’d with storms.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., XXIV. ii. 242. The same [stronghold] entrenched, as it were about with the course of the river.
1649. Selden, Laws Eng., II. i. (1739), 7. Against this danger he entrenches himself in an Act of Parliament.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., IV. § 3. Entrenched within tradition, custom, authority, and law.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xxxii. (1878), 553. Still keeping himself entrenched in the affectation of a supercilious indifference.
β. 1607. Schol. Disc. agst. Antichr., I. ii. 78. Within which [bound] God hath intrencht all humane power.
1759. Johnson, Idler, No. 61, ¶ 7. He intrenches himself in general terms.
1796. Burke, Regic. Peace, Wks. 1842, II. 332/1. One of the parties to a treaty intrenches himself up to the chin in these ceremonies.
† 3. To make (a wound) by cutting. Obs. rare.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., III. xii. 20. A wide wound therein … Entrenched deep with knyfe accursed keene.
1601. Shaks., All’s Well, II. i. 45. One Captaine Spurio his sicatrice, with an Embleme of warre…; it was this very sword entrench’d it.
4. intr. = TRENCH. To entrench upon: to take, use or occupy a portion of (something) reserved; to encroach or trespass upon; to infringe (rights, † laws); to come within the definition of. Now rare.
α. 1640. R. Baillie, Canterb. Self-Convict., Postscr. 4–5. Exceeding the Sphere of man, and entrenshing upon Gods proper glorie.
1710. Prideaux, Orig. Tithes, ii. 119. This would be to entrench upon his own Grant.
1769. Wesley, Wks. (1872), XIII. 18. Let not the gentlewoman entrench upon the Christian.
1831. Q. Rev., XLIV. 269. Far … from entrenching upon the privileges of parliament.
1837. J. H. Newman, Proph. Office Church, 15. Without seeming to entrench upon political principles.
β. 1633. Ford, Broken H., III. i. E 2 b. Intrenching on iust Lawes, Whose sou’raignty is best preseru’d by Iustice.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., III. xiii. 183. Intrench not on the Lords day to use unlawfull sports.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., I. § 1. 38 (R.). It intrenches very much upon impiety.
1722. Wollaston, Relig. Nat., i. (1738), 17. I might intrench upon truth by doing this.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. viii. 180. Concessions which intrenched so deeply on the honour and dignity of the crown.
† b. simply. To make encroachments. Obs. rare.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 86. The kings prime House is within the Mydan, yet no way entrenching further than the other Houses.
a. 1635. Naunton, Fragm. Regalia (Arb.), 46. Where it did not intrench, neither invade her interest.
