trunk

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

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.].

•  The stem, or body, of a tree, apart from its limbs and roots; the main stem, without the branches; stock; stalk.  [1913 Webster]

  "About the mossy trunk I wound me soon,
  For, high from ground, the branches would require
  Thy utmost reach."  [1913 Webster]
•  The body of an animal, apart from the head and limbs.  [1913 Webster]
•  The main body of anything; as, the trunk of a vein or of an artery, as distinct from the branches.  [1913 Webster]
•  That part of a pilaster which is between the base and the capital, corresponding to the shaft of a column.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  The proboscis of an elephant.  [1913 Webster]
•  A long tube through which pellets of clay, p1913 Webster]

  "He shot sugarplums them out of a trunk."  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "Locked up in chests and trunks."  [1913 Webster]
•  A flume or sluice in which ores are separated from the slimes in which they are contained.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

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 (Zoöl.), the leatherback.

trunk, v. t. [Cf. F. tronquer. See Truncate.].

•  To lop off; to curtail; to truncate; to maim.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]
•  To extract (ores) from the slimes in which they are contained, by means of a trunk. See Trunk, n., 9.  Weale.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

trunk, n.
1 the main stem of a tree as distinct from its branches and roots.
2 a person's or animal's body apart from the limbs and head.
3 the main part of any structure.
4 a large box with a hinged lid for transporting luggage, clothes, etc.
5 US the luggage compartment of a motor car.
6 an elephant's elongated prehensile nose.
7 (in pl.) men's close-fitting shorts worn for swimming, boxing, etc.
8 the main body of an artery, nerve, etc.
9 an enclosed shaft or conduit for cables, ventilation, etc.

Idiom

trunk call esp. Brit. a telephone call on a trunk line with charges made according to distance. trunk line a main line of a railway, telephone system, etc. trunk road esp. Brit. an important main road.

Derivative

trunkful n. (pl. -fuls). trunkless adj.

Etymology

ME f. OF tronc f. L truncus

THESAURUS

trunk

L, WATS, WATS line, anatomy, anthrophore, antlia, axis, baluster, balustrade, banister, barrel, base, beak, beezer, bill, bin, body, bole, bones, boot, box, branch, bugle, cable, cable railway, cane, carcass, carpophore, caryatid, case, cask, casket, caudex, caulicle, caulis, chest, clay, clod, co-ax, coaxial cable, coffer, cog railway, colonnade, column, concentric cable, conk, corpus, culm, cylinder, cylindroid, dado, die, drum, el, electric railway, elevated, elevated railway, embankment, feeder, feeder line, figure, flesh, footstalk, form, frame, funicule, funiculus, gravity-operated railway, haulm, horse railway, hulk, jack, junction, leafstalk, light railroad, line, locker, main line, material body, metro, monorail, muffle, muzzle, nares, neb, newel-post, nib, nose, nostrils, nozzle, olfactory organ, party line, pecker, pedestal, pedicel, peduncle, person, petiole, petiolule, petiolus, physical body, physique, pier, pilaster, pile, piling, pillar, pipe, plinth, pole, post, private line, proboscis, queen-post, rack railway, rack-and-pinion railway, rail, rail line, railroad, railway, reed, rhinarium, roadbed, roadway, roll, roller, rostrum, rouleau, schnozzle, seedstalk, shaft, sidetrack, siding, smeller, snoot, snout, socle, soma, spear, spire, staff, stalk, stanchion, stand, standard, stem, stipe, stock, straw, street railway, streetcar line, subbase, subway, surbase, switchback, telegraph cable, telegraph line, telephone line, terminal, terminus, tigella, torso, track, tram, tramline, trestle, trolley line, trunk line, tube, turnout, underground, upright, wire line

ROGET THESAURUS

trunk

Whole

N whole, totality, integrity, totalness, entirety, ensemble, collectiveness, unity, completeness, indivisibility, indiscerptibility, integration, embodiment, integer, all, the whole, total, aggregate, one and all, gross amount, sum, sum total, tout ensemble, length and breadth of, Alpha and Omega, be all and end all, complex, complexus, lock stock and barrel, bulk, mass, lump, tissue, staple, body, compages, trunk, torso, bole, hull, hulk, skeleton greater part, major part, best part, principal part, main part, essential part, lion's share, Benjamin's mess, the long and the short, nearly, all, almost all, whole, total, integral, entire, complete, one, individual, unbroken, intact, uncut, undivided, unsevered, unclipped, uncropped, unshorn, seamless, undiminished, undemolished, undissolved, undestroyed, unbruised, indivisible, indissoluble, indissolvable, indiscerptible, wholesale, sweeping, comprehensive, wholly, altogether, totally, entirely, all, all in all, as a whole, wholesale, in a body, collectively, all put together, in the aggregate, in the lump, in the mass, in the gross, in the main, in the long run, en masse, as a body, on the whole, bodily, en bloc, in extenso, throughout, every inch, substantially, tout bien ou rien.

Cause

N cause, origin, source, principle, element, occasioner, prime mover, primum mobile, vera causa, author, mainspring, agent, leaven, groundwork, foundation, spring, fountain, well, font, fountainhead, spring head, wellhead, fons et origo, genesis, descent, remote cause, influence, pivot, hinge, turning point, lever, crux, fulcrum, key, proximate cause, causa causans, straw that breaks the camel's back, ground, reason, reason why, why and wherefore, rationale, occasion, derivation, final cause, les dessous des cartes, undercurrents, rudiment, egg, germ, embryo, bud, root, radix radical, etymon, nucleus, seed, stem, stock, stirps, trunk, tap-root, gemmule, radicle, semen, sperm, nest, cradle, nursery, womb, nidus, birthplace, hotbed, causality, causation, origination, production, caused, causal, original, primary, primitive, primordial, aboriginal, protogenal, radical, embryonic, embryotic, in embryo, in ovo, seminal, germinal, at the bottom of, connate, having a common origin, because, behind the scenes, causa latet vis est notissima, felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas.

Paternity

N paternity, parentage, consanguinity, parent, father, sire, dad, papa, paterfamilias, abba, genitor, progenitor, procreator, ancestor, grandsire, grandfather, great- grandfather, fathership, fatherhood, mabap, house, stem, trunk, tree, stock, stirps, pedigree, lineage, line, family, tribe, sept, race, clan, genealogy, descent, extraction, birth, ancestry, forefathers, forbears, patriarchs, motherhood, maternity, mother, dam, mamma, materfamilias, grandmother, paternal, parental, maternal, family, ancestral, linear, patriarchal, avi numerantur avorum, happy he with such a mother, hombre bueno no le busquen abolengo, philosophia stemma non inspicit.

Receptacle

N receptacle, inclosure, recipient, receiver, reservatory, compartment, cell, cellule, follicle, hole, corner, niche, recess, nook, crypt, stall, pigeonhole, cove, oriel, cave, capsule, vesicle, cyst, pod, calyx, cancelli, utricle, bladder, pericarp, udder, stomach, paunch, venter, ventricle, crop, craw, maw, gizzard, breadbasket, mouth, pocket, pouch, fob, sheath, scabbard, socket, bag, sac, sack, saccule, wallet, cardcase, scrip, poke, knit, knapsack, haversack, sachel, satchel, reticule, budget, net, ditty bag, ditty box, housewife, hussif, saddlebags, portfolio, quiver, chest, box, coffer, caddy, case, casket, pyx, pix, caisson, desk, bureau, reliquary, trunk, portmanteau, band-box, valise, grip, grip sack, skippet, vasculum, boot, imperial, vache, cage, manger, rack, vessel, vase, bushel, barrel, canister, jar, pottle, basket, pannier, buck-basket, hopper, maund, creel, cran, crate, cradle, bassinet, wisket, whisket, jardiniere, corbeille, hamper, dosser, dorser, tray, hod, scuttle, utensil, brazier, cuspidor, spittoon, cistern, vat, caldron, barrel, cask, drum, puncheon, keg, rundlet, tun, butt, cag, firkin, kilderkin, carboy, amphora, bottle, jar, decanter, ewer, cruse, caraffe, crock, kit, canteen, flagon, demijohn, flask, flasket, stoup, noggin, vial, phial, cruet, caster, urn, epergne, salver, patella, tazza, patera, pig gin, big gin, tyg, nipperkin, pocket pistol, tub, bucket, pail, skeel, pot, tankard, jug, pitcher, mug, pipkin, galipot, gallipot, matrass, receiver, retort, alembic, bolthead, capsule, can, kettle, bowl, basin, jorum, punch bowl, cup, goblet, chalice, tumbler, glass, rummer, horn, saucepan, skillet, posnet, tureen, beaker, flask, Erlenmeyer flask, Florence flask, round-bottom flask, graduated cylinder, test tube, culture tube, pipette, Pasteur pipette, disposable pipette, syringe, vial, carboy, vacuum flask, Petri dish, microtiter tray, centrifuge tube, bail, beaker, billy, canakin, catch basin, catch drain, chatti, lota, mussuk, schooner, spider, terrine, toby, urceus, plate, platter, dish, trencher, calabash, porringer, potager, saucer, pan, crucible, glassware, tableware, vitrics, compote, gravy boat, creamer, sugar bowl, butter dish, mug, pitcher, punch bowl, chafing dish, shovel, trowel, spoon, spatula, ladle, dipper, tablespoon, watch glass, thimble, closet, commode, cupboard, cellaret, chiffonniere, locker, bin, bunker, buffet, press, clothespress, safe, sideboard, drawer, chest of drawers, chest on chest, highboy, lowboy, till, scrutoire, secretary, secretaire, davenport, bookcase, cabinet, canterbury, escritoire, etagere, vargueno, vitrine, chamber, apartment, room, cabin, office, court, hall, atrium, suite of rooms, apartment, flat, story, saloon, salon, parlor, by-room, cubicle, presence chamber, sitting room, best room, keeping room, drawing room, reception room, state room, gallery, cabinet, closet, pew, box, boudoir, adytum, sanctum, bedroom, dormitory, refectory, dining room, salle-a-manger, nursery, schoolroom, library, study, studio, billiard room, smoking room, den, stateroom, tablinum, tenement, bath room, bathroom, toilet, lavatory, powder room, john, jakes, necessary, loo, men's room, ladies' room, rest room, (uncleanness), 653 attic, loft, garret, cockloft, clerestory, cellar, vault, hold, cockpit, cubbyhole, cook house, entre-sol, mezzanine floor, ground floor, rez-de-chaussee, basement, kitchen, pantry, bawarchi-khana, scullery, offices, storeroom, lumber room, dairy, laundry, coach house, garage, hangar, outhouse, penthouse, lean-to, portico, porch, stoop, stope, veranda, patio, lanai, terrace, deck, lobby, court, courtyard, hall, vestibule, corridor, passage, breezeway, ante room, ante chamber, lounge, piazza, veranda, conservatory, greenhouse, bower, arbor, summerhouse, alcove, grotto, hermitage, lodging, bed, carriage, capsular, saccular, sacculated, recipient, ventricular, cystic, vascular, vesicular, cellular, camerated, locular, multilocular, polygastric, marsupial, siliquose, siliquous.