English Explanatory Dictionary

retrench

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To cut down or reduce.
  2. To terminate the employment of a worker to reduce the size of a workforce; to make redundant.
  3. To confine; to limit; to restrict.
  4. To furnish with a retrenchment (a defensive work within a fortification).
  5. To abridge; to curtail.
  6. To take up a new defensive position.
  7. To live less expensively; to economize.
verb
  1. To dig or redig a trench where one already exists.

Pronunciation

/ɹɪˈtɹɛnt͡ʃ/ /ɹəˈtɹɛnt͡ʃ/ en-au-retrench.ogg

Word forms

retrench retrenches retrenching retrenched

Etymology

From Old French retranchier (“to get rid of, remove”) (modern French retrancher (“to cut out, take away; to cut off; to cut down”)), from re- (“again”) + tranchier, trenchier (“to cut”) (modern French trancher (“to slice”)); further etymology uncertain, but possibly either from Vulgar Latin *trinicāre (“cut in three parts”) (from the root trini from trēs (“three”), based on the model of duplicāre (“to double by dividing, split in two, tear”)), or from an alteration of Latin truncāre (“to maim by cutting off pieces; to truncate”), also possibly influenced by Gaulish *trincare (“to cut (the head)”). Compare English trench.

Synonyms

fire let go sack axe can decruit dehire discard remove discharge dismiss downsize give the axe give someone the boot give someone their cards give the chop give the elbow give someone the heave-ho give someone the old heave-ho lay off let someone go make redundant pink slip promote to customer retrench serve notice shit-can term terminate throw out unhire

Derived words

retrenchable retrencher retrenching retrenchment unretrenchable unretrenched
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