Retrench

(66), v. t. [imp. & p. p. RETRENCHED (re-trĕncht'); p. pr. & vb. n. RETRENCHING.] [O. Fr. retrencher, N. Fr. retrancher, from re, again, and trencher, tran-cher, to cut. See TRENCH.] 1. To cut off; to pare away. Thy exuberant parts retrench. Denham. 2. To lessen; to abridge; to curtail; as, to retrench superfluities or expenses. But this thy glory shall be soon retrenched. Milton. 3. To confine; to limit. Addison. These figures, ought they then to receive a retrenched interpretation? I. Taylor. 4. (Mil.) To furnish with a retrenchment; as, to retrench bastions. Syn.—To lessen; diminish; curtail; abridge.

To live at less expense; as, it is more reputable to retrench than to live embarrassed.