Forms: see the sb. [a. OF. trenchier (11th c. in Godef., Compl.), F. trancher to cut, hew, slice, etc. = Prov. trencar, trinquar, Catal. trencar, Sp., Pg. trincar; cf. It. trinciare. These Romanic forms are held to represent a popular L. *trincāre, altered from L. truncāre to cut or lop off, f. truncus the trunk of a tree: cf. TRUNCHEON. Our sense 1 is directly from OF. Senses 3–5 are either immediately from TRENCH sb. or largely influenced by it. Senses 6–8 are not in French; they prob. arose as figures from the action of extending military trenches so as to reach or touch the place besieged.]
I. To cut, make a cutting.
1. trans. To cut; to divide by cutting, slice, cut in pieces; to sever by cutting, cut off; to cut into, make a cut in; to cut one’s way. Also absol.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 104 b/2. Thomas is as moche to saye as … double or trenchyd and heuen. Ibid. (1485), Chas. Gt., II. x. 63. [He] gaf hym a stroke vpon his helme so sharply that he trenched moo than vc maylles.
c. 1510. Barclay, Mirr. Gd. Manners (1570), B j. Though the toth [of a serpent] trencheth, the tayle beareth poyson.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VI. iv. 32. Enee hym self … to the, Proserpyne, A ȝeld kow all to trynschit.
c. 1520. Barclay, Jugurth (1557), 9. To bringe vnto him the heed of Hiempsal trenched from the body.
1725. Pope, Odyss., X. 615. Draw thy falchion, and on every side Trench the black earth a cubit long and wide.
1856. Bryant, Two Graves, 43. Trench the strong hard mould with the spade.
1867. Froude, Short Stud. (ed. 2), 167. They are trenching their way thro’ the weak place in the Pentateuch.
† b. To cut or carve in or into a surface. Obs.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., III. ii. 7. This weake impresse of Loue, is as a figure Trenched in ice.
1665. J. Webb, Stone-Heng (1725), 148. Inscriptions cut or trencht in one of the Stones. Ibid., 150. Those … had Epigraphs trencht into the Craggs.
† c. To make (a cut, gash, or wound) in or into something. Obs. rare.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 1052. The wide wound, that the boare had trencht In his soft flanke.
1610. Fletcher, Faithf. Sheph., IV. ii. The wound by cruel knife Trencht into him.
2. To cut or make a cutting through a ridge or raised surface. The object of the vb. may be (a) the cutting made, (b) the ridge or surface cut through.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 50. For the ease of pilgrims … iournieng between Cair and Mecha, she began to trench a water course alongst the way.
1865. Geikie, Scen. & Geol. Scot., ix. 238. The ridge is deeply trenched with gullies and narrow glens. Ibid., x. 285. If then the chain of the Sidlaws once ran unbroken to the south-west … how could the Tay trench it?
1881. Geikie, in Nature, 3 Nov., 1/1. In the general denudation of the country, deep valleys have been trenched through it.
b. fig. (with the surface cut or furrowed as obj.)
1624. Quarles, Job, xi. 50. Thy Hand hath trencht my cheekes with water-furrowes.
1787. Burns, To Haggis, iii. His knife see rustic Labour dight,… Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like ony ditch.
1840. R. H. Horne, Gregory VII., IV. i. Oft have I marked a deep awe trench his face.
1868. Nettleship, Browning, iii. 95. A mouth … trenched on either side by early pronounced lines.
c. Naut. To trench the ballast: see quots.
1627. Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., vii. 33. To finde a leake, they trench the Ballast, that is, to diuide it.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Trench the ballast, to divide the ballast in a ship’s hold to get at a leak, or to trim and stow it.
d. To trench beaver: to cut their dam, so as to catch the beavers.
(Cf. 1830. Gardens & Menag. Zool. Soc., I. 167. When the sheet of water they inhabit is merely kept up by a dam, they are … taken up by letting off the water, and leaving their huts completely dry.)
1822–34. Good’s Study Med. (ed. 4), IV. 80. A young Chipewyan had separated from the rest of his band for the purpose of trenching beaver.
II. From TRENCH sb.; to do something to, with, or by a trench.
3. To cut a trench or trenches in (the ground).
1530. Palsgr., 761/2. I trench the grounde, je trenche … They have trenched a large myle and more.
1541. Act 33 Hen. VIII., c. 35. The place … so broken dygged or trenched.
1870. N. F. Hele, Aldeburgh, iv. 25. We trenched the tumulus in a radiate manner, from the centre towards the circumference.
1872. G. Dowker, in Archæol. Cantiana, VIII. 8. We subsequently trenched the surface of the platform.
b. spec. in Agric. and Hort. To make a series of trenches in digging or plowing (a piece of ground), so as to bring the lower soil to the surface. To trench up, to lay (land) in trenches and ridges alternately (cf. RIDGE v. 2); To trench down, to bury (soil or weeds) in trenching. Also absol.
1573. Tusser, Husb. (1878), 83. Thy garden plot latelie well trenched and muckt.
1649. in Archæologia, X. 432. A muskmilion ground trenched, manured, and very well ordered.
1763. Mills, Pract. Husb., IV. 68. This may … be prevented by … trenching the ground up in ridges.
1793. Trans. Soc. Arts (ed. 2), V. 11. I trenched up the whole to the depth of eighteen inches.
1798. Nicol, Scotch Forcing Gard. (ed. 2), 202. Trench three spits deep, by which the bottom and top are reversed, and the middle remains in the middle.
1799. J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, App. 491. Many farmers were wont to trench down the low moss, and to cover it furrow deep, with clay taken out of the trench.
Mod. The garden ought to be trenched.
c. intr. or absol. To dig a trench or trenches.
1786. in J. Lloyd, Old S. Wales Iron Works (1906), 34. Free power … to bore, dig, delve, and trench in, upon, or under the said … Parcel of land.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Tale of Tyne, i. Walter was … busy trenching in his garden.
1882. Garden, 30 Dec., 577/1. Trench deeply … and as early in the winter as possible. Ibid. When trenching … use half decayed manure.
† d. intr. Of a torrent: To cut its way. Obs.
1613–6. W. Browne, Brit. Past., II. i. As all the floods (Down trenching from small groves and greater woods) The vast insatiate Sea doth still devoure.
4. trans. To furnish with, set, or place in a trench. † a. To divert (a river) by means of a trench. Obs. rare–1.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., III. i. 112. A little Charge will trench him [the Trent] here, And on this North side winne this Cape of Land, And then he runnes straight and euen.
b. To set or plant in a trench.
1678. R. L’Estrange, Seneca’s Mor., Epist., ix. (1696), 515. This would not have been … if you had Trenched them and Water’d them.
Mod. Celery is usually trenched.
c. To bury in a trench.
1870. Standard, 14 Dec. They detail squads of their soldiers to trench their fallen comrades.
d. To drain (land) by means of open trenches or ditches; to ditch.
1811. T. Davis, Agric. Wilts, App. 261. Trenching or Guttering Land, draining it with open drains.
1875. [implied in TRENCHER2 2].
5. Mil. To surround or fortify with a trench; to cast a trench about, around (a post, army, town, etc.); to entrench; also, to confine by means of a trench (rare, ? obs.).
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Hen. V., 65 b. The Frenchmen diched, trenched and paled their lodgynges for feare of after clappes. Ibid., Hen. VI., 165 b. The place which they had trenched, dytched, and fortefied with ordenaunce. Ibid., Edw. IV., 220 b. The duke of Somerset … trenched his campe rounde about of suche an altitude, and so strongly.
1667. Milton, P. L., I. 677. Bands Of Pioners with Spade and Pickaxe arm’d Forerun the Royal Camp, to trench a Field, Or cast a Rampart.
1715–20. Pope, Iliad, XX. 175. A mound Of earth congested, wall’d, and trench’d around.
1827. Keble, Chr. Y., 10th Sund. Trin., v. Now foes shall trench thee round, And lay thee even with earth.
1899. [see trenched below].
b. fig. To entrench.
1601. ? Marston, Pasquil & Kath., I. 113. Trench your selfe within the peoples loue.
1624. Gee, Foot out of Snare, 46. Trenching themselues in the Mines of their Labyrinths at home, or masking in their gold and siluer abroad.
1624. Massinger, Renegado, II. iv. A hermit in a desert, trenched with prayers.
1759. Mason, Caractacus, 52. I spy’d their helms ’Mid brakes and boughs trench’d in the heath below.
1838. Chalmers, Wks., XII. 81. One who … was … trenched among what he thought the speculations of orthodoxy.
† c. intr. To cast trenches, in siege works; in quot. 1623, to make one’s way by trenching (fig.). To trench at: to lay siege to by means of trenches.
1582–8. Hist. Jas. VI. (1804), 231. The pyoneris hade trinchett in the castell hill of Edinburgh, and erectit a braid sconce to hyde thame.
1623. B. Jonson, Time Vind., Wks. (Rtldg.), 636/1. The boy with buttons, and the basket-wench, To vent their wares into my works do trench!
1742. Young, Nt. Th., VI. 21. Like pow’rful armies trenching at a town, By slow, and silent, but resistless sap.
III. † 6. intr. To trench to (unto): To extend in effect to; to extend so as to affect or touch. (Cf. TOUCH v. 20.) Obs.
1612. Bacon, Ess., Judicature (Arb.), 458. The thing deduced to Iudgement, may bee meum et tuum, when the reason and consequence thereof may trench to point of estate.
a. 1625. Sir H. Finch, Law (1636), 83. In law it is said the demise of the King, and a gift unto the King, without saying more, trencheth to his successors.
1628. Coke, On Litt., 209 b. Because the money at the beginning trenched to the Feoffee in manner as a dutie.
1633. T. Nash, Quaternio, 234. If a man shall suborne two witnesses to depose a thing which trencheth to the life of a third person.
† b. intr. To extend or stretch (to a distance or in some direction); to trend. Obs. rare.
1720. De Foe, Capt. Singleton, viii. (1840), 133. The land trenched away to the west.
1775. Romans, Florida, App. 12. The shore is pretty bold too, except at the two ends, where the bars of said two rivers trench off a great way. Ibid., 19. From Hobé inlet we find the coast trenching about S 20 E or nearly S S E for about 31/2 leagues.
7. † a. To trench into (unto): To ‘cut’ into, to enter into so as to affect or concern intimately. Obs.
1621. Elsing, Debates Ho. Lords (Camden), 59. This trencheth deeper unto us then we all conceave. A delinquent is brought before us, and, before yt was determined, resumed into the Kinges hands.
1622. Misselden, Free Trade (ed. 2), 131. It … is a matter that trencheth into the Supreme power and dignity of the King, and is peculiar to Him alone.
1641. W. Hakewil, Libertie of Subject, 91. A thing which trencheth as deepely into the privat interest of the Subject as the laying of Impositions.
b. To trench on or upon: To encroach or infringe (however slightly) on or upon a region which is the domain of another. † To trench too near, too nigh, = to come dangerously near infringing upon (obs.).
1622. Mabbe, trans. Aleman’s Guzman d’Alf., II. 15. The King … being desirous to know, if any man of worth had presumed so farre to trench vpon what he had done.
1627. E. F., Hist. Edw. II. (1680), 59. Nor may you trench too near your Soveraigns actions.
1629. N. Carpenter, Achitophel, II. (1640), 78. [It] seems to me to trench too farre on Gods Prerogative.
1647. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., I. xl. 98. They would not allow their secular affairs to trench too nigh that days devotion.
1649. G. Daniel, Trinarch., Rich. II., ccc. But least my running Tent may Trench vpon Another’s feild, I fixe my Pole downe here.
1799. J. Robertson, Agric. Perth, 553. This scheme … may seem to trench on the liberty of individuals.
1865. Merivale, Rom. Emp., VIII. lxiv. 116. He trenches a little on the night,… but no one finds the time long.
1866. Mrs. H. Wood, St. Martin’s Eve, xiii. Though I squandered my own property, I have not trenched on yours.
c. in vaguer use, To come in thought, speech, or action close upon (something); to border closely upon, to verge upon; to approach towards; hence, to have a bearing upon or reference to (something).
1635. Heylin, Sabbath, I. (1636), 190. Some … have trenched too neere upon the Rabbins, in binding men to nice and scrupulous observances.
a. 1639. W. Whateley, Prototypes, III. xxxix. (1640), 24. He did trench a little too neare upon an untruth.
1643. Baker, Chron., Hen. VI., 5. Knowing how far they trenched upon the Dukes destruction, and her own.
1691. Case of Exeter Coll., Pref. A ij b. Insignificant suggestions that trench nothing at all on the merits of the Cause.
1746. Fielding, True Patriot, No. 23. They hold them [other persons and things] of no consequence,… unless they trench somewhat towards their own order or calling.
1841. D’Israeli, Amen. Lit. (1867), 355. Some unlucky jest, trenching on treason, flew from the lips of the unguarded jester.
1876. C. M. Davies, Unorth. Lond., 20. The opinions of this school—where they trench most closely on orthodoxy.
† d. trans. To trench or encroach upon. Obs.
1626. B. Jonson, Staple of N., V. vi. Who did? I? I trench the liberty o’ the subiects?
Hence Trenched, Trenching ppl. adjs.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, II. xi. (Arb.), 107. With sharpe Trenching blade of bright steele.
1596. Shaks., 1 Hen. IV., I. i. 7. No more shall trenching Warre channell her fields. Ibid. (1605), Macb., III. iv. 27. Safe in a ditch he bides, With twenty trenched gashes on his head.
1763. Mills, Pract. Husb., IV. 322. Whatever … might afterward press down the trenched earth.
1899. Daily News, 14 Dec., 5/5. The Highlanders formed up to renew the attack on the trenched kopje.
