entrench
verb /ɪnˈtrentʃ/
/ɪnˈtrentʃ/
[usually passive] (sometimes disapproving)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they entrench | /ɪnˈtrentʃ/ /ɪnˈtrentʃ/ |
| he / she / it entrenches | /ɪnˈtrentʃɪz/ /ɪnˈtrentʃɪz/ |
| past simple entrenched | /ɪnˈtrentʃt/ /ɪnˈtrentʃt/ |
| past participle entrenched | /ɪnˈtrentʃt/ /ɪnˈtrentʃt/ |
| -ing form entrenching | /ɪnˈtrentʃɪŋ/ /ɪnˈtrentʃɪŋ/ |
- to establish something very strongly so that it is very difficult to change
- be entrenched (in something) Sexism is deeply entrenched in our society.
- entrenched attitudes/interests/opposition
- something entrenches itself in something This idea had firmly entrenched itself in his consciousness.
Word Originmid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘place within a trench’): from en-, in- ‘into’ + trench.