TRIM (trimmed, trimmer, trimmest, trimming)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: trimmed    , trimmer    , trimmest    , trimming   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does trim mean? 

• TRIM (noun)
  The noun TRIM has 4 senses:

1. a state of arrangement or appearance

2. a decoration or adornment on a garment

3. attitude of an aircraft in flight when allowed to take its own orientation

4. cutting down to the desired size or shape

  Familiarity information: TRIM used as a noun is uncommon.

• TRIM (adjective)
  The adjective TRIM has 4 senses:

1. thin and fit

2. of places; characterized by order and neatness; free from disorder

3. neat and smart in appearance

4. severely simple in line or design

  Familiarity information: TRIM used as an adjective is uncommon.

• TRIM (verb)
  The verb TRIM has 9 senses:

1. remove the edges from and cut down to the desired size

2. decorate, as with ornaments

3. cut down on; make a reduction in

4. balance in flight by regulating the control surfaces

5. be in equilibrium during a flight

6. decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods

7. cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of

8. cut closely

9. adjust (sails on a ship) so that the wind is optimally used

  Familiarity information: TRIM used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TRIM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A state of arrangement or appearance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

trim; trimness

Context example:

in good trim

Hypernyms ("trim" is a kind of...):

neatness; spruceness (the state of being neat and smart and trim)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A decoration or adornment on a garment

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

passementerie; trim; trimming

Context example:

the trim on a shirt

Hypernyms ("trim" is a kind of...):

adornment (a decoration of color or interest that is added to relieve plainness)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "trim"):

braid; braiding; gold braid (trimming used to decorate clothes or curtains)

miniver (trimming on ceremonial robes consisting of white or light grey fur)

rickrack; ricrac (a narrow zigzag ribbon used as trimming)

Derivation:

trim (decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods)

trim (decorate, as with ornaments)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Attitude of an aircraft in flight when allowed to take its own orientation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Hypernyms ("trim" is a kind of...):

attitude (position of aircraft or spacecraft relative to a frame of reference (the horizon or direction of motion))

Derivation:

trim (be in equilibrium during a flight)

trim (balance in flight by regulating the control surfaces)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Cutting down to the desired size or shape

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

clipping; trim; trimming

Hypernyms ("trim" is a kind of...):

cut; cutting; cutting off (the act of shortening something by chopping off the ends)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "trim"):

pruning (the act of trimming a plant)

Derivation:

trim (cut closely)

trim (cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of)

trim (cut down on; make a reduction in)

• TRIM (adjective)

Comparative: trimmer   
Superlative: trimmest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Thin and fit

Synonyms:

spare; trim

Context example:

a body kept trim by exercise

Similar:

lean; thin (lacking excess flesh)

Derivation:

trimness (a state of arrangement or appearance)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Of places; characterized by order and neatness; free from disorder

Synonyms:

shipshape; trim; well-kept

Context example:

a trim little sailboat

Similar:

tidy (marked by order and cleanliness in appearance or habits)

Derivation:

trimness (a state of arrangement or appearance)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Neat and smart in appearance

Synonyms:

clean-cut; trig; trim

Context example:

a trim beard

Similar:

tidy (marked by order and cleanliness in appearance or habits)

Derivation:

trimness (a state of arrangement or appearance)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Severely simple in line or design

Synonyms:

tailored; trim

Context example:

tailored curtains

Similar:

plain (not elaborate or elaborated; simple)

• TRIM (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they trim    ... he / she / it trims   
Past simple: trimmed   
Past participle: trimmed   
-ing form: trimming   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Remove the edges from and cut down to the desired size

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

pare; trim

Context example:

trim lumber

Hypernyms (to "trim" is one way to...):

cut (separate with or as if with an instrument)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "trim"):

dress (cut down rough-hewn (lumber) to standard thickness and width)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

trimmer (a machine that trims timber)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Decorate, as with ornaments

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

trim a shop window

Hypernyms (to "trim" is one way to...):

adorn; beautify; decorate; embellish; grace; ornament (make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

trim; trimming (a decoration or adornment on a garment)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cut down on; make a reduction in

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

bring down; cut; cut back; cut down; reduce; trim; trim back; trim down

Context example:

The employer wants to cut back health benefits

Hypernyms (to "trim" is one way to...):

decrease; lessen; minify (make smaller)

Verb group:

cut (have a reducing effect)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "trim"):

detract; take away (take away a part from; diminish)

knock off; shave (cut the price of)

subtract (take off or away)

downsize ((of a company) reduce in size or number of employees)

inflate (increase the amount or availability of, creating a rise in value)

deflate (reduce or cut back the amount or availability of, creating a decline in value or prices)

thin (make thin or thinner)

thin out (make sparse)

slash (cut drastically)

retrench (make a reduction, as in one's workforce)

quench (reduce the degree of (luminescence or phosphorescence) in (excited molecules or a material) by adding a suitable substance)

spill (reduce the pressure of wind on (a sail))

shorten (make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

trim (cutting down to the desired size or shape)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Balance in flight by regulating the control surfaces

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

trim an airplane

Hypernyms (to "trim" is one way to...):

balance; equilibrate; equilibrise; equilibrize (bring into balance or equilibrium)

Verb group:

trim (be in equilibrium during a flight)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

trim (attitude of an aircraft in flight when allowed to take its own orientation)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Be in equilibrium during a flight

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Context example:

The airplane trimmed

Hypernyms (to "trim" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Verb group:

trim (balance in flight by regulating the control surfaces)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

trim (attitude of an aircraft in flight when allowed to take its own orientation)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Decorate (food), as with parsley or other ornamental foods

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

dress; garnish; trim

Hypernyms (to "trim" is one way to...):

adorn; beautify; decorate; embellish; grace; ornament (make more attractive by adding ornament, colour, etc.)

Verb group:

dress; dress out (kill and prepare for market or consumption)

dress (put a dressing on)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The chefs trim the vegetables

Derivation:

trim (a decoration or adornment on a garment)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Cultivate, tend, and cut back the growth of

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

clip; crop; cut back; dress; lop; prune; snip; trim

Context example:

dress the plants in the garden

Hypernyms (to "trim" is one way to...):

thin out (make sparse)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "trim"):

shear (cut with shears)

poll; pollard (convert into a pollard)

pinch; top (cut the top off)

disbud (thin out buds to improve the quality of the remaining flowers)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They trim the trees

Derivation:

trim; trimming (cutting down to the desired size or shape)

trimmer (a worker who thins out and trims trees and shrubs)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Cut closely

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

shave; trim

Context example:

trim my beard

Hypernyms (to "trim" is one way to...):

cut (shorten as if by severing the edges or ends of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "trim"):

fleece; shear (shear the wool from)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They trim their hair

Derivation:

trim; trimming (cutting down to the desired size or shape)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Adjust (sails on a ship) so that the wind is optimally used

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "trim" is one way to...):

adjust; correct; set (alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard)

Domain category:

ship (a vessel that carries passengers or freight)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

Rapid glucose trimming by ER glucosidases generates monoglucosylated N-glycans (Glc0-3Man9GlcNAc2).

(Endoplasmic Reticulum Degradation Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

"Like trimming cargo in the tropics," Martin said, when they went upstairs.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He was clad in a blue uniform, and I remember noting how trim and quiet he was.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

When the Doctor and I were engaged, he now fell into the custom of walking up and down with Mrs. Strong, and helping her to trim her favourite flowers, or weed the beds.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The side of the nail extending over the finger or toe which can be trimmed.

(Free Edge of the Nail, NCI Thesaurus)

The biosynthesis pathway of N-glycans is a costly system with respect to the number of enzymes that are involved in the synthesis and trimming of N-glycans.

(Glycosylation of N-linked Oligosaccarides Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/BIOCARTA)

Keeping your nails clean, dry, and trimmed can help you avoid some problems.

(Nail Diseases, NIH)

It is caused by improperly fitting shoes and by improper trimming of the nail.

(Ingrown Toenail, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

Any agent that inhibits golgi alpha-mannosidase II, a mannose-trimming enzyme that is the final hydrolase in the N-glycosylation pathway.

(Golgi Alpha-Mannosidase II Inhibitor, NCI Thesaurus)

By it he trimmed his conduct and adjusted his actions.

(White Fang, by Jack London)