# trench

/ˈtɹɛntʃ/ (US) · /tɹˈɛntʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/trench
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. military fortification

noun · CEFR B2

a long, deep hole in the ground where soldiers hide and fight during a war.

For teachers: a narrow excavation used in warfare to provide cover for troops from enemy fire.

- Soldiers lived in the muddy trenches for months during the First World War.
- The infantry remained hunkered down in the primary trench, waiting for the artillery barrage to cease before attempting an advance across the open field.

### 2. archaeology or construction

noun · CEFR B2

a long, narrow hole dug to find old objects or to lay pipes and cables.

For teachers: a rectangular or linear excavation made during an archaeological investigation or for civil engineering purposes.

- The archaeologists dug a deep trench to look for the walls of the ancient city.
- The utility company excavated a narrow trench along the pavement to install the new high-speed fibre optic cables.

### 3. ocean floor

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a very deep, long valley on the bottom of the ocean.

For teachers: a long, narrow, and extremely deep depression on the ocean floor, typically formed by subduction at a plate boundary.

- The Mariana Trench is the deepest part of the world's oceans.
- Oceanic trenches represent the deepest parts of the sea floor and are critical sites for understanding tectonic plate movements.

### 4. clothing

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a short name for a trench coat, which is a long waterproof jacket.

For teachers: a colloquial clipping of 'trench coat', referring to a double-breasted waterproof raincoat with a belt.

- She threw on her beige trench before heading out into the rain.
- He arrived at the gallery wearing a classic oversized trench, looking every bit the mysterious detective from a noir film.

### 5. to dig

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal

to dig long, narrow holes in the ground.

For teachers: to excavate or cut long, narrow furrows or ditches into a surface.

- The workers began to trench the field to improve the water drainage.
- The landscape architects decided to trench the perimeter of the estate to facilitate a more efficient irrigation system for the new gardens.

## Examples

- Workers dug a deep trench to repair the broken water pipe.
- Soldiers in the first world war spent months living in a muddy trench protected by sandbags.
- The lead archaeologist directed the team to dig a trial trench across the site to determine the extent of the Roman foundations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.