Etymology of trench
Posted by Jane Elizabeth on September 19, 1997 at 12:34:14:
In response to Re-Trench?, written by Trina on September 16, 1997 at 16:14:10
I always thought the modern word was derived from trench warfare, as in digging oneself into a new position, but I just looked it up in Websters and it comes from retrancher, French for "to cut" and dates to the 1600s. Websters gives the first definition of retrench as "to cut down" and "reduce." Retrenchment is simply defined as a "cutting of expenses."
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