retrench

[ ri-trench ]
/ rɪˈtrɛntʃ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR retrench ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to cut down, reduce, or diminish; curtail (expenses).
to cut off or remove.
Military. to protect by a retrenchment.

verb (used without object)

to economize; reduce expenses: They retrenched by eliminating half of the workers.

Origin of retrench

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

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

retread, retreat, retreat from reality, retreatant, retreatism, retrench, retrenchment, retrial, retribution, retributive, retributivism

Words related to retrench

curtail, conserve, trim, scrimp, economize, reduce, delete, confine, shorten, omit, lessen, diminish, decrease, remove, slash, abridge, limit, save, eliminate

Example sentences from the Web for retrench

British Dictionary definitions for retrench

retrench
/ (rɪˈtrɛntʃ) /

verb

to reduce or curtail (costs); economize
(tr) to shorten, delete, or abridge
(tr) to protect by a retrenchment

Derived forms of retrench

retrenchable, adjective

Word Origin for retrench

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