# trestle

/ˈtɹɛsəɫ/ (US) · /tɹˈɛsəl/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/trestle
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

a strong frame with legs that holds up something heavy, like a table top or a bridge. You often see two of them under a long table.

For teachers: a braced frame support consisting of a horizontal beam on splayed legs, used in pairs to support a tabletop or platform, or in series to support a bridge deck.

## Examples

- They place a board on two trestles for a table.
- The workers rest the scaffolding planks on wooden trestles while they paint the wall.
- The old railway crossed the valley on a tall timber trestle that swayed slightly whenever a freight train passed.

## Synonyms

sawhorse

## Usage notes

- Common in the compounds 'trestle table' and 'trestle bridge'.

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