Trencher | n. [ OE. trencheoir, F. tranchoir, fr. trancher to cut, carve. See Trench, v. t. ] 1. One who trenches; esp., one who cuts or digs ditches. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. A large wooden plate or platter, as for table use. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. The table; hence, the pleasures of the table; food. [ 1913 Webster ] It could be no ordinary declension of nature that could bring some men, after an ingenuous education, to place their “summum bonum” upon their trenchers. South. [ 1913 Webster ] Trencher cap, the cap worn by studens at Oxford and Cambridge Universities, having a stiff, flat, square appendage at top. A similar cap used in the United States is called Oxford cap, mortar board, etc. -- Trencher fly, a person who haunts the tables of others; a parasite. [ R. ] L'Estrange. -- Trencher friend, one who frequents the tables of others; a sponger. -- Trencher mate, a table companion; a parasite; a trencher fly. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]
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Trencher-man | n.; pl. Trencher-men [ 1913 Webster ] 1. A feeder; a great eater; a gormandizer. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. A cook. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ] The skillfulest trencher-men of Media. Sir P. Sidney. [ 1913 Webster ] 3. A table companion; a trencher mate. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ] |