trenches
n. countablen. long, narrow holes dug into the ground. Soldiers used them for protection in wars, but the word can also mean doing the hard, basic work of a job.
n. long, narrow excavations in the ground, typically used for military defense or drainage. In a figurative sense, refers to the front lines of a difficult activity or profession.
The soldiers spent months living in the cold trenches.
After years of working in the trenches of local politics, she finally decided to run for mayor.
The historical site preserves the original network of trenches, offering a somber reminder of the static and brutal nature of warfare during the early twentieth century.
Usually used in the plural form when referring to military history or the figurative 'front lines' of work.