verb (used with object)
1.
to put into a neat or orderly condition by clipping, paring, pruning, etc.: to trim a hedge.
2.
to remove (something superfluous or dispensable) by or as if by cutting (often followed by off ): to trim off loose threads from a ragged edge.
3.
to cut down, as to required size or shape: trim a budget; trim a piece of wood.
4.
Aeronautics. to level off (an airship or airplane) in flight.
5.
Nautical.
a.
to distribute the load of (a ship) so that it sits well in the water.
b.
to stow or arrange, as cargo.
c.
to adjust (the sails or yards) with reference to the direction of the wind and the course of the ship.
6.
to decorate or adorn with ornaments or embellishments: to trim a dress with fur.
7.
to arrange goods in (a store window, showcase, etc.) as a display.
8.
to prepare or adjust (a lamp, fire, etc.) for proper burning.
9.
10.
to dress or array (often followed by up ).
verb (used without object)
11.
Nautical.
a.
to assume a particular position or trim in the water, as a vessel.
b.
to adjust the sails or yards with reference to the direction of the wind and the course of the ship.
12.
to pursue a neutral or cautious policy between parties.
13.
to accommodate one's views to the prevailing opinion for reasons of expediency.
00:10
Trim
is always a great word to know.
So is shear stress. Does it mean:
| external force acting on an object or surface parallel to the slope or plane |
| maximum deviation of an alternating current from its average value |
noun
14.
the condition, order, or fitness of a person or thing for action, work, use, etc.
15.
Nautical.
a.
the set of a ship in the water, especially the most advantageous one.
b.
the condition of a ship with reference to its fitness for sailing.
c.
the adjustment of sails, rigging, etc., with reference to wind direction and the course of the ship.
d.
the condition of a submarine as regards buoyancy.
16.
a person's dress, adornment, or appearance.
17.
material used for decoration or embellishment; decorative trimming.
18.
decoration of a store window for the display of merchandise; window dressing.
19.
a trimming by cutting, clipping, or the like.
20.
a haircut that restores the previous cut to neatness without changing the hair style.
21.
something that is cut off or eliminated.
22.
Aeronautics. the attitude of an airplane with respect to all three axes, at which balance occurs in forward flight under no controls.
23.
Building Trades. finished woodwork or the like used to decorate or border openings or wall surfaces, as cornices, baseboards, or moldings.
24.
Automotive.
a.
the upholstery, knobs, handles, and other equipment inside a motor car.
b.
ornamentation on the exterior of an automobile, especially in metal or a contrasting color.
adjective
25.
pleasingly neat or smart in appearance: trim lawns.
26.
in good condition or order.
27.
(of a person) in excellent physical condition: Swimming is a good way to keep trim.
28.
slim; lean.
29.
Obsolete. good, excellent, or fine.
adverb
Idioms 30.
trimly.
31.
Origin:
before 900; probably continuing Old English trymman, trymian to strengthen, prepare (not recorded in ME), derivative of trum strong, active; akin to Irish dron strong, Greek drȳmós coppice, Latin dūrus hard. See tree
before 900; probably continuing Old English trymman, trymian to strengthen, prepare (not recorded in ME), derivative of trum strong, active; akin to Irish dron strong, Greek drȳmós coppice, Latin dūrus hard. See tree
Related forms
trim·ly, adverb
trim·ness, noun
o·ver·trim, verb, o·ver·trimmed, o·ver·trim·ming.
pre·trim, verb, pre·trimmed, pre·trim·ming.
Synonyms
1. shear, shave, cut, lop. 6. deck, bedeck, ornament, embellish, garnish. 17. adornment, garnish. 25. compact, trig, spruce.
1. shear, shave, cut, lop. 6. deck, bedeck, ornament, embellish, garnish. 17. adornment, garnish. 25. compact, trig, spruce.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To Trim
Collins
World English Dictionary
trim (trɪm) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —adj , trimmer, trimmest | |
| 1. | neat and spruce in appearance |
| 2. | slim; slender |
| 3. | in good condition |
| —vb (sometimes foll by off | |
| 4. | to put in good order, esp by cutting or pruning |
| 5. | to shape and finish (timber) |
| 6. | to adorn or decorate |
| 7. | to cut so as to remove: to trim off a branch |
| 8. | to cut down to the desired size or shape: to trim material to a pattern |
| 9. | dialect to decorate: to trim a Christmas tree |
| 10. | nautical |
| a. (also intr) to adjust the balance of (a vessel) or (of a vessel) to maintain an even balance, by distribution of ballast, cargo, etc | |
| b. (also intr) to adjust (a vessel's sails) to take advantage of the wind | |
| c. to stow (cargo) | |
| 11. | to balance (an aircraft) before flight by adjusting the position of the load or in flight by the use of trim tabs, fuel transfer, etc |
| 12. | (also intr) to modify (one's opinions, etc) to suit opposing factions or for expediency |
| 13. | informal to thrash or beat |
| 14. | informal to rebuke |
| 15. | obsolete to furnish or equip |
| —n | |
| 16. | a decoration or adornment |
| 17. | the upholstery and decorative facings, as on the door panels, of a car's interior |
| 18. | proper order or fitness; good shape: in trim |
| 19. | a haircut that neatens but does not alter the existing hairstyle |
| 20. | nautical |
| a. the general set and appearance of a vessel | |
| b. the difference between the draught of a vessel at the bow and at the stern | |
| c. the fitness of a vessel | |
| d. the position of a vessel's sails relative to the wind | |
| e. the relative buoyancy of a submarine | |
| 21. | dress or equipment |
| 22. | (US) window-dressing |
| 23. | the attitude of an aircraft in flight when the pilot allows the main control surfaces to take up their own positions |
| 24. | films a section of shot cut out during editing |
| 25. | material that is trimmed off |
| 26. | decorative mouldings, such as architraves, picture rails, etc |
| [Old English trymman to strengthen; related to trum strong, Old Irish druma tree, Russian drom thicket] | |
| 'trimly | |
| —adv | |
| 'trimness | |
| —n | |
| Trim (trɪm) | |
| —n | |
| the county town of Meath, Republic of Ireland; 12th-century castle, medieval cathedral; textiles and machinery. Pop: 5894 (2002) | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
trim
probably from O.E. trymman "strengthen, make ready," from trum "strong, stable," from P.Gmc. *trumaz; said to be cognate with Skt. drumah "tree," Gk. drymos "copse, thicket," drys "tree, oak," and O.E. treow (see tree). Examples in M.E. are wanting. Original sense is preserved
in nautical phrase in fighting trim (see trim (n.)). Meaning "make neat by cutting" is first recorded 1530; that of "decorate, adorn" is from 1547. Sense of "reduce" is attested from 1966. The adj. sense of "in good condition, neat, fit" is attested from 1503, probably ult. from O.E. adj. trum.
trim
"state of being prepared," 1590, nautical jargon, from trim (v.). The meaning "visible woodwork of a house" is recorded from 1884; sense of "ornamental additions to an automobile" is from 1922. Slang meaning "a woman regarded as a sex object" is attested from 1955, Amer.Eng.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Cite This Source
Example sentences
The school teacher was thirty years old and had a neat trim-looking figure.
For a simple but elegant holiday decoration, trim a trellis or two with evergreens and twinkling lights.
The living room now glows with new wood floors and a lighter, less-obtrusive shade of paint on the ceiling beams and trim.
Trim after each wave of bloom to encourage repeat flowering.
Nearby Words
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
