to trench
Third Person
trenches
Present Participle
trenching
Past Tense
trenched
Past Participle
trenched
1
to dig a long, narrow hole in the ground
transitive
- Construction workers trench the area to lay utility pipes underground.
- Gardeners may trench the soil to create irrigation channels for better water flow.
- In archaeology, experts trench the site to reveal historical layers.
- They trenched the ground around the house for drainage.
2
to create a deep and often narrow cut or groove in something
transitive
- The glacier had trenched deep furrows in the landscape as it moved across the terrain.
- Over time, the constant flow of water had trenched a winding path through the limestone cave.
- The erosion had trenched deep gullies into the hillside, threatening the stability of the slope.
- The sculptor trenched deep lines into the marble, bringing out the details of the figure.
3
to dig a long, narrow excavation in the ground
- The soldiers trenched for hours to create a defensive line against enemy fire.
- The construction workers trenched along the roadside to lay new utility pipes.
- Farmers trenched in the field to install irrigation systems for the crops.
- The engineers trenched on the construction site to prepare for the foundation of the building.
Synonyms:
4
to dig defensive fortifications for protection
transitive
- The soldiers trenched their camp perimeter to defend against enemy attacks.
- During wartime, civilians trenched their homes to provide shelter from bombings.
- The fortress was trenched along its outer walls to enhance its defenses.
- The castle's moat was trenched to deter would-be invaders from breaching the walls.
- The troops trenched the battlefield, creating defensive positions against enemy assaults.
5
to encroach on or invade a domain or right
- The new policy is trenching on individual privacy rights, sparking debates about surveillance and data collection.
- The government's censorship laws are trenching on freedom of speech.
- The new regulations are trenching on the autonomy of local governments.
- The foreign government's cyber-attacks are trenching upon national sovereignty.
- The media's sensationalist reporting is trenching upon journalistic integrity, undermining trust in the news industry.