trench /trentʃ/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: trenche 'act of cutting' , from trenchier 'to cut' , probably from Latin truncare ; ⇨ ↑ truncate ]
1 . a long narrow hole dug into the surface of the ground:
Workers dug a trench for gas lines.
2 . technical a long narrow valley in the ground beneath the sea
3 . [usually plural] a deep trench dug in the ground as a protection for soldiers:
the trenches of World War I
4 . the trenches the place or situation where most of the work or action in an activity takes place:
Lane left teaching after 30 years in the trenches.