trestle
Americannoun
-
a frame typically composed of a horizontal bar or beam rigidly joined or fitted at each end to the top of a transverse A-frame, used as a barrier, a transverse support for planking, etc.; horse.
-
Civil Engineering.
-
one of a number of bents, having sloping sides of framework or piling, for supporting the deck or stringers of a bridge.
-
a bridge made of these.
-
noun
-
a framework in the form of a horizontal member supported at each end by a pair of splayed legs, used to carry scaffold boards, a table top, etc
-
-
a braced structural tower-like framework of timber, metal, or reinforced concrete that is used to support a bridge or ropeway
-
a bridge constructed of such frameworks
-
Etymology
Origin of trestle
1300–50; Middle English trestel < Middle French, by dissimilation from Old French trestre ≪ Latin trānstrum crossbeam
Explanation
A trestle is a special kind of tower built to support a bridge. A "trestle bridge" will usually have a trestle on each side, and there might be more trestles if the bridge is particularly heavy or long. Engineers need to carefully design the trestles so they will hold up the bridge when it's full of traffic. Modern trestles are usually built of concrete or steel, while older ones are often wooden.
Vocabulary lists containing trestle
Tolkien Reading Day, List 7
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
My Brother Sam is Dead
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Dark Water Rising
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It was waiter service when it first started and everyone came and sat at long trestle tables and they were served their pie and It took time when it was busy," Linda says.
From BBC • Feb. 19, 2024
The railroad easement crosses sensitive marine ecosystems over a swing bridge at the Swinomish Channel and a trestle across Padilla Bay within the reservation.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 26, 2023
The transportation department declared an emergency to replace the trestle and has been granted permits needed for the work, Matkin said.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 7, 2023
Not far away, Jake had created a room without a roof between two trestle pilings, complete with sofa, table and work space for an artist.
From Salon • Mar. 8, 2023
She could of at least pretended to be glad I’d escaped from the jaws of death on that trestle.
From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
