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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Trench Definition: Military & Civilian Meanings Explained (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：military ditch (trench)

trench 🔊

/trentʃ/

A long, deep ditch dug in the ground by soldiers to protect themselves from enemy fire and attacks.

Trench diagram: cross-section of a military trench with soldiers and sandbags for defense.

military ditch 🔊

➕

/ˈmɪlɪtəri dɪtʃ/

A long, deep excavation in the earth used by soldiers for shelter from enemy fire and as a defensive position.

📁 Category：Warfare & Battle 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old French 'trenche', meaning 'a cut, slice', from 'trenchier' (to cut).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a TRENCH coat: long and deep like the coat, and worn in muddy, wet conditions like a battlefield ditch.

📖 Example

The soldiers passed messages along the trench under the cover of darkness. 🔊 The soldiers passed messages along the military ditch under the cover of darkness.

🔗 Collocations

trench warfare – a type of combat where opposing troops fight from trenches facing each other

trench coat – a long, waterproof coat originally worn by soldiers in the trenches

dig trenches – to excavate long, narrow ditches for military purposes

🔄 Synonyms

ditch (n.) – A narrow channel dug in the ground, often for drainage but can be used for defense.

foxhole (n.) – A small pit dug for a soldier to lie in for protection, shallower than a trench.

entrenchment (n.) – A system of trenches or a fortified position created by digging.

🚫 Antonyms

hill (n.) – A naturally raised area of land, the opposite of a dug-out depression.

ridge (n.) – A long, narrow elevation of land, contrasting with a sunken trench.

🌱 Derivatives

trenchant (adj.) – Vigorous and incisive in expression or style.

entrench (v.) – To establish something firmly or dig a trench for defense.

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'trench' entered English from Old French, originally meaning 'a cut'. Its military association became iconic during World War I, where vast networks of trenches defined the brutal stalemate of the Western Front, making 'trench warfare' a lasting historical term.

Meaning 2：long narrow ditch (trench)

trench 🔊

/trentʃ/

A long, narrow ditch dug in the ground, often for drainage, to lay pipes, or to protect an area.

long narrow ditch 🔊

➕

/lɒŋ ˈnærəʊ dɪtʃ/

A long, narrow excavation in the ground, typically used for purposes like drainage, irrigation, or laying utility lines.

📁 Category：Natural Geography 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The farmer dug a trench around the field to prevent flooding during the rainy season. 🔊 The farmer dug a long narrow ditch around the field to prevent flooding during the rainy season.

🔗 Collocations

irrigation trench – a ditch dug to channel water to crops

cable trench – a narrow excavation for laying electrical or communication cables underground

dig a trench – to excavate a long, narrow ditch for any practical purpose

🔄 Synonyms

ditch (n.) – A narrow channel dug to hold or carry water, very similar in general use.

furrow (n.) – A narrow trench made in the ground by a plow, for planting seeds.

channel (n.) – A length of water wider than a trench, but can refer to any passage for water.

🚫 Antonyms

mound (n.) – A raised mass of earth, the opposite of a dug-out trench.

embankment (n.) – A wall or bank of earth or stone built to hold back water or carry a roadway.