entrench
/ɪnˈtɹɛnt͡ʃ/ verb
Forms entrenches entrenching entrenched intrench
- verb (literally) To cut in; to furrow; to make trenches in or upon.
- verb (construction, archaeology) To dig or excavate a trench; to trench.
- verb (military) To surround or provide with a trench, especially for defense; to dig in. “The army entrenched its camp, or entrenched itself.”
- verb To become completely absorbed in and fully accept one's beliefs, even in the face of evidence against it and refusing to be reasoned with.
- verb To establish a substantial position in business, politics, etc. “Senator Cornpone was able to entrench by spending millions on each campaign.”
- verb To invade; to encroach; to infringe or trespass; to enter on, and take possession of, that which belongs to another; usually followed by on or upon.
Synonyms
Etymology
From en- + trench. First attested in the 1550s.
Webster’s 1913
- verb See Intrench.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “entrench”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details