trig

¹ American  

[trig] / trɪg /

noun

Informal.

1. trigonometry.

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trig ² American  

[trig] / trɪg /

adjective

1. neat, trim, smart, or spruce.

   Synonyms:

   orderly, tidy

2. in good physical condition; sound; well.

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verb (used with object)

trigged, trigging

1. to make trim, smart, etc. (often followed by up orout ).

trig ³ American  

[trig] / trɪg /

verb (used with object)

Dialect.

trigged, trigging

1. to support or prop, as with a wedge.

2. to act as a check on (the moving of wheels, vehicles, etc.).

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noun

1. a wedge or block used to prevent a wheel, cask, or the like, from rolling.

trig. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. trigonometric.

2. trigonometrical.

3. trigonometry.

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trig ¹ British  

/ trɪɡ /

noun

1. a wedge or prop

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verb

1. to block or stop

2. to prop or support

trig ² British  

/ trɪɡ /

adjective

1. neat or spruce

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verb

1. to make or become trim or spruce

trig. ³ British  

abbreviation

1. trigonometrical

2. trigonometry

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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

The kids rehearsed months, long into the night, then gave performances to sold-out crowds and scrambled to finish trig and AP history homework too.

From Washington Post • Apr. 17, 2023

Imagine if your old trig worksheets stepped in to help you out when you were stumped on a question.

From The Verge • Mar. 16, 2022

When solving a trigonometric equation involving more than one trig function, do we always want to try to rewrite the equation so it is expressed in terms of one trigonometric function?

From Textbooks • Feb. 13, 2015

In the table of secret trig functions, “ha” clearly means half; the value of haversine is half of the value of versine, for example.

From Scientific American • Sep. 16, 2013

We pushed open the doors to the third floor and walked down to trig.

From "All American Boys" by Jason Reynolds