retrench

[ ri-trench ]
See synonyms for retrench on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object)
  1. to cut down, reduce, or diminish; curtail (expenses).

  2. to cut off or remove.

  1. Military. to protect by a retrenchment.

verb (used without object)
  1. to economize; reduce expenses: They retrenched by eliminating half of the workers.

Origin of retrench

1
1600–10; <French retrencher (obsolete variant of retrancher), Middle French retrenchier, equivalent to re-re- + trenchier to trench

Other words for retrench

Other words from retrench

  • re·trench·a·ble, adjective
  • re·trench·er, noun
  • un·re·trench·a·ble, adjective
  • un·re·trenched, adjective

Words Nearby retrench

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How to use retrench in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for retrench

retrench

/ (rɪˈtrɛntʃ) /


verb
  1. to reduce or curtail (costs); economize

  2. (tr) to shorten, delete, or abridge

  1. (tr) to protect by a retrenchment

Origin of retrench

1
C17: from Old French retrenchier, from re- + trenchier to cut, from Latin truncāre to lop; see trench

Derived forms of retrench

  • retrenchable, adjective

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