Retrench

Old French retrenchier, French retrancher; see French trancher ("to cut"), and English trench.

Full definition of retrench

Verb

1. To cut down or reduce.
• DenhamThy exuberant parts retrench.
2. To abridge; to curtail.
• MiltonBut this thy glory shall be soon retrenched.
3. To confine; to limit; to restrict.
• I. TaylorThese figures, ought they then to receive a retrenched interpretation?
4. To furnish with a retrenchment (defensive work within a fortification).to retrench bastions
5. To take up a new defensive position.We must retrench and try to hold on long enough for products in development to reach the market or we will be out of business.
• 2012, The Economist, Private Equity: Keep Calm and Carry OnInternational firms could decide it is not cost-effective to keep open their other European offices and retrench to London.

- + trench

Verb

1. To dig or redig a trench where one already was.

Anagrams

• trencher