From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Trunk \Trunk\, n. [F. tronc, L. truncus, fr. truncus maimed,
mutilated; perhaps akin to torquere to twist wrench, and E.
torture. Trunk in the sense of proboscis is fr. F. trompe
(the same word as trompe a trumpet), but has been confused in
English with trunk the stem of a tree (see {Trump} a
trumpet). Cf. {Truncate}.]
1. The stem, or body, of a tree, apart from its limbs and
roots; the main stem, without the branches; stock; stalk.
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About the mossy trunk I wound me soon,
For, high from ground, the branches would require
Thy utmost reach. --Milton.
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2. The body of an animal, apart from the head and limbs.
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3. The main body of anything; as, the trunk of a vein or of
an artery, as distinct from the branches.
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4. (Arch) That part of a pilaster which is between the base
and the capital, corresponding to the shaft of a column.
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5. (Zool.) That segment of the body of an insect which is
between the head and abdomen, and bears the wings and
legs; the thorax; the truncus.
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6. (Zool.)
(a) The proboscis of an elephant.
(b) The proboscis of an insect.
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7. A long tube through which pellets of clay, p?as, etc., are
driven by the force of the breath.
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He shot sugarplums them out of a trunk. --Howell.
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8. A box or chest usually covered with leather, metal, or
cloth, or sometimes made of leather, hide, or metal, for
containing clothes or other goods; especially, one used to
convey the effects of a traveler.
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Locked up in chests and trunks. --Shak.
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9. (Mining) A flume or sluice in which ores are separated
from the slimes in which they are contained.
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10. (Steam Engine) A large pipe forming the piston rod of a
steam engine, of sufficient diameter to allow one end of
the connecting rod to be attached to the crank, and the
other end to pass within the pipe directly to the piston,
thus making the engine more compact.
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11. A long, large box, pipe, or conductor, made of plank or
metal plates, for various uses, as for conveying air to a
mine or to a furnace, water to a mill, grain to an
elevator, etc.
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{Trunk engine}, a marine engine, the piston rod of which is a
trunk. See {Trunk}, 10.
{Trunk hose}, large breeches formerly worn, reaching to the
knees.
{Trunk line}, the main line of a railway, canal, or route of
conveyance.
{Trunk turtle} (Zool.), the leatherback.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
trunk line
n 1: line that is the main route on a railway [syn: {trunk
line}, {trunk route}]
2: a telephone line connecting two exchanges directly
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