To trench at, to make trenches against; to approach by trenches, as a
town in besieging it. [Obs.]
Like powerful armies, trenching at a town By slow and silent, but
resistless, sap.
Young.
Trench, n. [OE. trenche, F. tranchée. See Trench, v. t.] 1. A long,
narrow cut in the earth; a ditch; as, a trench for draining land.
Mortimer.
2. An alley; a narrow path or walk cut through woods, shrubbery, or the
like. [Obs.]
In a trench, forth in the park, goeth she.
Chaucer.
3. (Fort.) An excavation made during a siege, for the purpose of
covering the troops as they advance toward the besieged place. The term
includes the parallels and the approaches.
To open the trenches (Mil.), to begin to dig or to form the lines of
approach. — Trench cavalier (Fort.), an elevation constructed (by a
besieger) of gabions, fascines, earth, and the like, about half way up
the glacis, in order to discover and enfilade the covered way. — Trench
plow, or Trench plough, a kind of plow for opening land to a greater
depth than that of common furrows.
Trench"and (?), a. Trenchant. [Obs.] Spenser.
Trench"ant (?), a. [OF. trenchant, F. tranchant, p. pr. See Trench, v.
t.] 1. Fitted to trench or cut; gutting; sharp. " Trenchant was the
blade." Chaucer.