trenchen

Middle English

Etymology

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman trencher, possibly from Vulgar Latin trinicāre; equivalent to trenche +‎ -en (infinitival suffix).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtrɛnt͡ʃən/

Verb

trenchen (third-person singular simple present trencheth, present participle trenchende, trenchynge, first-/third-person singular past indicative and past participle trenched) (rare)

1. To dig or lay a trench.
2. (more generally) To cut; to incise.

Conjugation

Conjugation of trenchen (weak in -ed)

infinitive	(to) trenchen, trenche
	present tense	past tense
1st-person singular	trenche	trenched
2nd-person singular	trenchest	trenchedest
3rd-person singular	trencheth	trenched
subjunctive singular	trenche
imperative singular		—
plural1	trenchen, trenche	trencheden, trenchede
imperative plural	trencheth, trenche	—
participles	trenchynge, trenchende	trenched, ytrenched

¹Sometimes used as a formal 2nd-person singular.

Descendants

• English: trench
• Middle Scots: trinch

References

• “trenchen, v.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.