retrenchmentn.1
/rᵻˈtrɛn(t)ʃm(ə)nt/, U.S. /rəˈtrɛn(t)ʃm(ə)nt/, /riˈtrɛn(t)ʃm(ə)nt/ Military and Fortification.
An inner line of defence constructed within a fortification. Also: a line of defence used to maintain a position. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > defence > defensive work(s) > [noun] > inner works
retrenchment1589
in-works1623
1589 P. Ive Pract. Fortification 25 in tr. R. Beccarie de Pavie Instr. Warres At which may a retrenchment bee made when need requireth, and the same well flanked.
1642 D. Rogers Naaman 101 In the defence of a City..there be some out-workes, halfe-moones and retrenchments to hold the enemy at larger distance.
1683 London Gaz. No. 1856/6 We have made in the middle of the Ravelin a good Retrenchment with a good Ditch.
1709 J. Swift & J. Addison Tatler No. 32 The Enemy lay encamp'd behind a strong Retrenchment.
1739 E. Carter tr. F. Algarotti Sir I. Newton's Philos. Explain'd II. vi. 233 Des Cartes..is attacked in his very last Retrenchments.
1828 J. M. Spearman Brit. Gunner 209 To permit the ditch of the réduit to be defended from the rear of the retrenchment.
1851 H. Yule Fortification x. 115 The simplest form of retrenchment is a ditch cut at right angles to the face of the work.
1879 Encycl. Brit. IX. 447/1 In bastions strengthened by a cavalier retrenchment, a coupure is formed perpendicularly across the faces of the bastion.
1910 Encycl. Brit. I. 826/2 One line of works could be stormed, but there were almost always two or three retrenchments behind.
1964 M. M. Cameron tr. G. Lanctot Hist. Canada II. xvii. 173 The fort..had no retrenchments and was in a bad state of repair.
2004 J. E. Kaufmann & H. W. Kaufmann Fortress Amer. iii. 111 He ordered a new wall to be built as a retrenchment to shorten his defenses.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
retrenchmentn.2
/rᵻˈtrɛn(t)ʃm(ə)nt/, U.S. /rəˈtrɛn(t)ʃm(ə)nt/, /riˈtrɛn(t)ʃm(ə)nt/ 1.
a. A diminution, a lessening; reduction in extent, size, amount, or importance.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > [noun]
waningc900
littlingOE
lessingc1350
abating1370
diminutionc1374
minishinga1382
decrease1383
remissiona1398
shrinkinga1398
decreasing1398
adminishing?c1400
abbreviation?a1425
lessening?a1425
minoration?a1425
disincrease1430
abatement1433
restrictiona1450
batea1475
diminuation1477
limitation1483
abate1486
minute1495
minishment1533
mitigation1533
diminishinga1535
extenuation1542
slacking1542
reduce1549
diminishment1551
perditionc1555
debatementa1563
rebatement1573
obstriction1578
imminution1583
contracting1585
contraction1589
rabate1589
rebating1598
retrenchmentc1600
decession1606
ravalling1609
reducement1619
decrement1621
bating1629
shrivellinga1631
decretion1635
dejection1652
abater1653
rolling back1658
limiting1677
batement1679
reduction1695
depression1793
downdraw1813
descent1832
decess1854
lowering1868
shrinkage1873
dégringolade1883
minification1894
degrowth1920
downrating1950
the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > [noun] > curtailment
wanec1315
abridginga1382
shortinga1390
abridgement1439
defalcation1476
shorteninga1542
retrenchmentc1600
abridge1611
amputation1664
castration1728
curtail1797
curtailment1799
clipping1839
c1600 F. Vere Comm. 47 By a retrenchment of the condition I was to hold in this journey.
1653 T. Brachet Victory of Truth 51 When they see themselves reduced to this extremity, they cast themselves into the retrenchment of their Fundamental Maxims.
1692 tr. C. de Saint-Évremond Misc. Ess. 12 It was not a retrenchment of superfluities, or a voluntary abstinence from things agreeable.
1713 J. Gay in Guardian 1 Sept. 1/1 The Men have contented themselves with the Retrenchment of the Hat, or the various Scallop of the Pocket.
1751 Parl. Hist. Eng. I. 49 [The King's courtiers] could not bear the least Retrenchment of the Prerogative.
1785 Parl. Reg. 1781–96 XVII. 162 He [sc. Pitt] considered retrenchment as the means of redress of the [East India] Company's private affairs.
1805 Monthly Mag. June 446/2 Either we must consume less food or we must procure more; and, in general, both must be combined—we must have recourse both to retrenchment and to importation.
1892 Trans. Royal Hist. Soc. 6 194 The juristic identification of them..with the villeins, led rather to a retrenchment of the privileges enjoyed.
a1933 J. A. Thomson Biol. for Everyman (1934) II. 876 The same retrenchment or reduction of vulnerable surface is observed in some zoöphytes and even more complicated animals.
1993 R. O. Bucholz Augustan Court 60 In February 1714 the treasury drew up proposals for yet one more retrenchment of the civil establishment.
2009 Roanoke (Va.) Times (Nexis) 6 Apr. There should be no retrenchment of women's rights.
b. The action of detaching something by cutting; an instance of this. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > separation > separation or detachment > [noun] > cutting off
abscision?a1425
swappingc1540
abscission1604
resecation1607
resection1610
rescission1611
obtruncation1623
retrenchment1654
dock1667
offcut1674
docking1728
1654 E. Wolley tr. ‘G. de Scudéry’ Curia Politiæ 151 If I should deprive her of the Crown without the retrenchment of her head.
1765 Museum Rusticum 4 20 These retrenchments, made in the proper time, are likely to strengthen..both fruit and branch.
1827 H. Steuart Planter's Guide (1828) 443 Such retrenchment..must always be modified, by the actual wants of the Trees.
1828 N. Webster Amer. Dict. Eng. Lang. Mutilation,..denotes the retrenchment of a human limb or member.
1862 Med. News Jan. 154/2 Education..to fit the surgeon..for the amputation, incision, excision, or other retrenchment of the limbs and bodies of the scrofulous, cancerous, [etc.].
1922 Bull. Texas Agric. Exper. Station No. 293. 33 The thinner the root or stem, the greater should be the retrenchment of its length.
c. The action or an act of excising, deleting, or omitting something, esp. a portion of a written work. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > effacement, obliteration > [noun] > of writing, text, etc.
cancellingc1440
cancellation1535
deleting1544
deletion1590
expunction1606
retrenching1647
retrenchment1668
erasement1721
expunging1721
erasure1755
excision1858
redaction1962
1668 T. Douglas tr. J. Porrée Vitis Degeneris 110 Nevertheless, this rape and retrenchment of the Cup in the Communion of Laicks, was..finally authorized by Decree.
a1691 R. Boyle Wks. (1772) VI. 716 I rather wish than expect that you should give yourself the trouble, by transpositions of some, and retrenchments in others, to link them into a coherent discourse.
1733 L. Theobald Wks. Shakespeare V. 125 (note) These four Lines I have restor'd..; and, surely, the Retrenchment of them..was very injudicious.
a1774 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued (1777) III. iii. 310 Additions have been made every now and then to our [divine] offices, but never any retrenchments.
1820 W. Scott Abbot Introd. Ep. p. ii I admit that my retrenchments have been numerous, and leave gaps in the story.
1867 Morning Star 17 Sept. 3 Besides this one retrenchment of the text, the changes made are very trifling.
1878 Encycl. Brit. VIII. 376/1 A second prayer-book..with some additions, and a considerable retrenchment of the first book.
1914 Mid-west Q. 1 7 The perfecting of their classic tragedy consisted in the retrenchment of romantic elements and a consequent separation from romance with which it was first entangled.
2.
a. The action of economizing or reducing expenditure.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > management of money > expenditure > moderation or reduction in expenditure > [noun] > action or process of
retrenchment1652
economizing1805
downsizing1975
1652 Severall Proc. Parl. No. 140. 2197 The Parliament this day according to former Order debated what retrenchment there may bee of the charges of the Commonwealth.
1709 F. Atterbury Serm. St. Bridget's Church in Serm. & Discourses (1766) II. 229 I would rather be an advocate for the retrenchment, than the encrease of this charity.
1786 Morning Herald 21 Apr. Mr. Pitt's Ministerial career began with the most solemn protestations of economy and retrenchment.
1834 H. Martineau Moral Many Fables iv. 137 The cry for retrenchment is a righteous cry; but all power of retrenchment does not lie with the Government.
1868 A. Helps Realmah I. iii. 52 Reform has gone too far in the way of retrenchment.
1899 Daily News 19 Apr. 5/1 There are two things which bring about a desire for national retrenchment—new taxation and bad trade.
1905 E. Wharton House of Mirth vii. 127 She had reached a point where abrupt retrenchment was necessary, and the only cheap life was a dull life.
1973 H. L. Nieburg Culture Storm i. 2 Recession and retrenchment mark this new morning.
1997 Economist 25 Jan. 21/3 Their true expertise..resides in their ability to..force the pace of expansion where needed, and cut back when retrenchment is necessary.
b. A reduction in expenditure; a cutback.
ΘΚΠ
society > trade and finance > management of money > expenditure > moderation or reduction in expenditure > [noun]
safety1549
moderation1601
retention1655
retrenchment1667
savation?1670
saving1731
waist-tightening1882
cutback1943
1667 S. Pepys Diary 9 Aug. (1974) VIII. 378 We did talk of many retrenchments of charge of the Navy which he will put in practice.
1675 A. Marvell Wks. (1875) II. 433 I have made a considerable retrenchment upon my expences in candles and charcoal.
1792 J. Almon Anecd. Life W. Pitt (octavo ed.) I. xx. 332 Amongst Pitt's other retrenchments were his coach horses, which were sold by public advertisement.
1822 G. Flagg Let. 9 June in Flagg Corr. (1986) 32 Why should not our representatives in congress reduce their pay to 6 dollars pr day..and make such other retrenchments as will cause our revenue to equal the expenses of Government.
1866 A. Trollope Belton Estate II. vi. 145 Though she could not succeed in making retrenchments, she could and did succeed in keeping the household books.
1907 Manch. Guardian 1 Mar. 8/2 An earnest effort should be made to effect a real retrenchment in Army expenditure.
1945 M. Lowry Let. July in Sursum Corda! (1995) I. 482 Such a sum in the bank would give me a breathing spell from the retrenchments that I shall have otherwise to make.
2005 Precision Marketing (Nexis) 17 June 2 There is a general retrenchment, with consumers cutting back on non-essential expenditure.
c. The action or an instance of making an employee redundant, esp. in order to economize. Cf. retrench v.1 5d. Found in several varieties of English, but apparently uncommon in British and U.S. usage
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > lack of work > [noun] > redundancy > making redundant
retrenchment1896
outplacement1948
excessing1976
1896 Bristol Mercury 20 Nov. 6/1 Pointing out that Melbourne lost 40,000 of its population,..and that there was a retrenchment of 1106 employees in the public service.
1914 Times 6 Jan. 5/1 A dismissed man at Bloemfontein was offered a billet a few minutes after his retrenchment, but at reduced wages.
1986 Rev. Afr. Polit. Econ. 35 72 Currently retrenchments are running at about 2,000 a month in the engineering and metal industries.
1998 I. C. Keng-Howe & T. E. Ser in Wages & Wages Policies xvii. 268 Certain categories of employees may experience retrenchment as a welcome break, particularly if the severance benefits are generous.
2009 Age (Melbourne) (Nexis) 28 Apr. (Epicure section) 3 Plenty of mouths were left agape by the retrenchment of Bistro Guillaume's head chef.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2010; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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