Trim

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈtrɪm/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/trɪm/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(trim)

Inflections of 'trim' (adj):
trimmer
adj comparative
trimmest
adj superlative
Inflections of 'trim' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
trims
v 3rd person singular
trimming
v pres p
trimmed
v past
trimmed
v past p

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Trim /trɪm/ n
  1. the county town of Meath, Republic of Ireland; 12th-century castle, medieval cathedral; textiles and machinery. Pop: 5894 (2002)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
trim /trɪm/USA pronunciation   v., trimmed, trim•ming, n., adj., trim•mer, trim•mest, adv. 
v. [~ + object]
  1. to put into a neat condition by clipping, paring, etc.:to trim a hedge.
  2. to remove (something unnecessary) by or as if by cutting:to trim those loose threads.
  3. to cut down;
    reduce;
    lower:to trim the sales force.
  4. Nautical, Naval Termsto adjust (the sails or yards of a ship) with attention to the direction of the wind and the course of the ship.
  5. to adorn with ornaments;
    esp., to decorate a store window:to trim the windows for Christmas.

n. 
  1. [uncountable] the condition, order, or fitness of a person or thing for action, etc.
  2. Nautical, Naval Terms[countable* usually singular] the adjustment of sails, etc., with reference to wind direction and the course of the ship.
  3. [uncountable] material used for decoration.
  4. a trimming by cutting, clipping, or the like:[countable]He didn't want a full haircut, just a (quick) trim.

adj. 
  1. neat or smart in appearance:trim lawns.
  2. (of a person) in excellent physical condition:Swimming is a good way to keep trim.
  3. slim;
    lean:a trim figure.

adv. 
  1. in a trim manner;
    trimly.
trim•ly, adv. 
trim•mer, n. [countable]
trim•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
trim (trim),USA pronunciation  v., trimmed, trim•ming, n., adj., trim•mer, trim•mest, adv. 

v.t. 
  1. to put into a neat or orderly condition by clipping, paring, pruning, etc.:to trim a hedge.
  2. to remove (something superfluous or dispensable) by or as if by cutting (often fol. by off):to trim off loose threads from a ragged edge.
  3. to cut down, as to required size or shape:trim a budget; trim a piece of wood.
  4. [Aeron.]to level off (an airship or airplane) in flight.
  5. [Naut.]
    • to distribute the load of (a ship) so that it sits well in the water.
    • to stow or arrange, as cargo.
    • to adjust (the sails or yards) with reference to the direction of the wind and the course of the ship.
  6. to decorate or adorn with ornaments or embellishments:to trim a dress with fur.
  7. to arrange goods in (a store window, showcase, etc.) as a display.
  8. to prepare or adjust (a lamp, fire, etc.) for proper burning.
  9. [Informal.]
    • to rebuke or reprove.
    • to beat or thrash.
    • to defeat.
  10. to dress or array (often fol. by up).

v.i. 
  1. [Naut.]
    • to assume a particular position or trim in the water, as a vessel.
    • to adjust the sails or yards with reference to the direction of the wind and the course of the ship.
  2. to pursue a neutral or cautious policy between parties.
  3. to accommodate one's views to the prevailing opinion for reasons of expediency.
  4. trim one's sails. See sail (def. 11).

n. 
  1. the condition, order, or fitness of a person or thing for action, work, use, etc.
  2. [Naut.]
    • the set of a ship in the water, esp. the most advantageous one.
    • the condition of a ship with reference to its fitness for sailing.
    • the adjustment of sails, rigging, etc., with reference to wind direction and the course of the ship.
    • the condition of a submarine as regards buoyancy.
  3. a person's dress, adornment, or appearance.
  4. material used for decoration or embellishment;
    decorative trimming.
  5. decoration of a store window for the display of merchandise;
    window dressing.
  6. a trimming by cutting, clipping, or the like.
  7. a haircut that restores the previous cut to neatness without changing the hair style.
  8. something that is cut off or eliminated.
  9. [Aeron.]the attitude of an airplane with respect to all three axes, at which balance occurs in forward flight under no controls.
  10. [Building Trades.]finished woodwork or the like used to decorate or border openings or wall surfaces, as cornices, baseboards, or moldings.
  11. [Auto.]
    • the upholstery, knobs, handles, and other equipment inside a motor car.
    • ornamentation on the exterior of an automobile, esp. in metal or a contrasting color.

adj. 
  1. pleasingly neat or smart in appearance:trim lawns.
  2. in good condition or order.
  3. (of a person) in excellent physical condition:Swimming is a good way to keep trim.
  4. slim;
    lean.
  5. [Obs.]good, excellent, or fine.

adv. 
  1. trimly.
  • bef. 900; probably continuing Old English trymman, trymian to strengthen, prepare (not recorded in Middle English), derivative of trum strong, active; akin to Irish dron strong, Greek drȳmós coppice, Latin dūrus hard. See tree
trim ′ly, adv. 
trim ′ness, n. 
    1. shear, shave, cut, lop. 6. deck, bedeck, ornament, embellish, garnish. 18. adornment, garnish. 26. compact, trig, spruce.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
trim /trɪm/ adj (trimmer, trimmest)
  1. neat and spruce in appearance
  2. slim; slender
  3. in good condition
 vb (trims, trimming, trimmed) (mainly tr)
  1. to put in good order, esp by cutting or pruning
  2. to shape and finish (timber)
  3. to adorn or decorate
  4. sometimes followed by off or away: to cut so as to remove: to trim off a branch
  5. to cut down to the desired size or shape: to trim material to a pattern
    • (also intr) to adjust the balance of (a vessel) or (of a vessel) to maintain an even balance, by distribution of ballast, cargo, etc
    • (also intr) to adjust (a vessel's sails) to take advantage of the wind
    • to stow (cargo)
  7. to balance (an aircraft) before flight by adjusting the position of the load or in flight by the use of trim tabs, fuel transfer, etc
  8. (also intr) to modify (one's opinions, etc) to suit opposing factions or for expediency
  9. informal to thrash or beat
  10. informal to rebuke
  11. obsolete to furnish or equip
 n
  1. a decoration or adornment
  2. the upholstery and decorative facings, as on the door panels, of a car's interior
  3. proper order or fitness; good shape: in trim
  4. a haircut that neatens but does not alter the existing hairstyle
    • the general set and appearance of a vessel
    • the difference between the draught of a vessel at the bow and at the stern
    • the fitness of a vessel
    • the position of a vessel's sails relative to the wind
    • the relative buoyancy of a submarine
  6. dress or equipment
  7. US window-dressing
  8. the attitude of an aircraft in flight when the pilot allows the main control surfaces to take up their own positions
  9. a section of shot cut out during editing
  10. material that is trimmed off
  11. decorative mouldings, such as architraves, picture rails, etc
Etymology: Old English trymman to strengthen; related to trum strong, Old Irish druma tree, Russian drom thicketˈtrimly adv ˈtrimness n
'Trim' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
amputate - axe - braid - clip - coppice - cut - dapper - dress - edge - fur - furrier - furriery - furbelow - galloon - garnish - jaunty - marabou - Meath - nailfile - natty - pare - pipe - rail - ruffle - shave - spruce - swan's-down - thrum - top - trig - vair - wheel trim - apron - ax - back - backband - back molding - barber - belt line - bleed - blind casing - bomber jacket - Bristol fashion - chrome - clean - deck - decorate - dinky - ease - flounce

🗣️Forum discussions with the word(s) "Trim" in the title:


Look up "Trim" at Merriam-Webster
Look up "Trim" at dictionary.com
  • Go to Preferences page and choose from different actions for taps or mouse clicks.

In other languages: Spanish | French | Italian | Portuguese | Romanian | German | Dutch | Swedish | Russian | Polish | Czech | Greek | Turkish | Chinese | Japanese | Korean | Arabic

Advertisements
Advertisements
Report an inappropriate ad.
WordReference.com
WORD OF THE DAY
GET THE DAILY EMAIL!

Become a WordReference Supporter to view the site ad-free.