trig
1 Americannoun
verb (used with object)
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to support or prop, as with a wedge.
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to act as a check on (the moving of wheels, vehicles, etc.).
noun
abbreviation
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trigonometric.
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trigonometrical.
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trigonometry.
noun
verb
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to block or stop
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to prop or support
adjective
verb
abbreviation
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trigonometrical
-
trigonometry
Other Word Forms
- trigly adverb
- trigness noun
Etymology
Origin of trig1
First recorded in 1895–1900; by shortening
Origin of trig2
First recorded in 1150–1200 for earlier sense; 1505–15 trig 2 for def. 1; Middle English trig(g) “true, trusty,” from Old Norse tryggr “loyal, safe”; cognate with Gothic triggws “loyal, true, faithful”; true
Origin of trig3
First recorded in 1585–95; from Old Norse tryggja “to make fast, secure”; trig 2 ( def. ), true
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.
In Washington DC, a bomb threat was made to the Democratic National Committee headquarters, trigging a police search of the building where a pipe bomb was discovered on 6 January 2021.
From BBC
I also had wide and mid-range angled cameras, both mounted on a tripod to be trigged by remotes.
From Seattle Times
Ongoing mass demonstrations across Germany were trigged by the meeting becoming public knowledge last month.
From BBC
The massive floods were trigged by a cloudburst over a mountain lake this week.
From BBC
The collapse in cryptocurrency prices last year forced a procession of major firms into bankruptcy, trigging a government crackdown and erasing the savings of millions of inexperienced investors.
From New York Times
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.