3. The main body of anything; as, the trunk of a vein or of an artery,
as distinct from the branches.
4. (Arch) That part of a pilaster which is between the base and the
capital, corresponding to the shaft of a column.
5. (Zoöl.) That segment of the body of an insect which is between the
head and abdomen, and bears the wings and legs; the thorax; the
truncus.
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6. (Zoöl.) (a) The proboscis of an elephant. (b) The proboscis of an
insect.
7. A long tube through which pellets of clay, p&?;as, etc., are driven
by the force of the breath.
He shot sugarplums them out of a trunk.
Howell.
8. A box or chest usually covered with leather, metal, or cloth, or
sometimes made of leather, hide, or metal, for containing clothes or
other goods; especially, one used to convey the effects of a traveler.
Locked up in chests and trunks.
Shak.
9. (Mining) A flume or sluice in which ores are separated from the
slimes in which they are contained.
10. (Steam Engine) A large pipe forming the piston rod of a steam
engine, of sufficient diameter to allow one end of the connecting rod
to be attached to the crank, and the other end to pass within the pipe
directly to the piston, thus making the engine more compact.
11. A long, large box, pipe, or conductor, made of plank or metal
plates, for various uses, as for conveying air to a mine or to a
furnace, water to a mill, grain to an elevator, etc.
Trunk engine, a marine engine, the piston rod of which is a trunk. See
Trunk, 10. — Trunk hose, large breeches formerly worn, reaching to the
knees. — Trunk line, the main line of a railway, canal, or route of
conveyance. — Trunk turtle (Zoöl.), the leatherback.
Trunk (?), v. t. [Cf. F. tronquer. See Truncate.] 1. To lop off; to
curtail; to truncate; to maim. [Obs.] "Out of the trunked stock."
Spenser.
2. (Mining) To extract (ores) from the slimes in which they are
contained, by means of a trunk. See Trunk, n., 9. Weale.
Trunk"back` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The leatherback.
Trunked (?), a. Having (such) a trunk.
Thickset with strong and well-trunked trees.
Howell.
Trunk"fish` (?), n. (Zoöl.) Any one of several species of plectognath
fishes, belonging to the genus Ostracion, or the family Ostraciontidæ,
having an angular body covered with a rigid integument consisting of
bony scales. Some of the species are called also coffer fish, and
boxfish.
Trunk"ful (?), n.; pl. Trunkfuls (&?;). As much as a trunk will hold;
enough to fill a trunk.
Trunk"work` (?), n. Work or devices suitable to be concealed; a secret
stratagem. [Obs.]