RETRENCHING

Verb

retrenching

present participle of retrench

Source: Wiktionary

RETRENCH

Re*trench", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Retrenched; p. pr. & vb. n. Retrenching.] Etym: [OF. retrenchier, F. retrancher; pref. re- re- + OF. trenchier, F. trancher, to cut. See Trench.]

1. To cut off; to pare away. Thy exuberant parts retrench. Denham.

2. To lessen; to abridge; to curtail; as, to retrench superfluities or expenses. But this thy glory shall be soon retrenched. Milton.

3. To confine; to limit; to restrict. Addison. These figures, ought they then to receive a retrenched interpretation I. Taylor.

4. (Fort.)

Definition: To furnish with a retrenchment; as, to retrench bastions.

Syn.

– To lesen; diminish; curtail; abridge.

Re*trench", v. i.

Definition: To cause or suffer retrenchment; specifically, to cut down living expenses; as, it is more reputable to retrench than to live embarrassed.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition