truss

[ truhs ]

/ trʌs /

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See synonyms for: truss / trussed / trussing on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to tie, bind, or fasten.

to make fast with skewers, thread, or the like, as the wings or legs of a fowl in preparation for cooking.

to furnish or support with a truss or trusses.

to tie or secure (the body) closely or tightly; bind (often followed by up).

Falconry. (of a hawk, falcon, etc.) to grasp (prey) firmly.

noun

Civil Engineering, Building Trades.

any of various structural frames based on the geometric rigidity of the triangle and composed of straight members subject only to longitudinal compression, tension, or both: functions as a beam or cantilever to support bridges, roofs, etc.Compare complete (def. 8), incomplete (def. 3), redundant (def. 5c).
any of various structural frames constructed on principles other than the geometric rigidity of the triangle or deriving stability from other factors, as the rigidity of joints, the abutment of masonry, or the stiffness of beams.

Medicine/Medical. an apparatus consisting of a pad usually supported by a belt for maintaining a hernia in a reduced state.

Horticulture. a compact terminal cluster or head of flowers growing upon one stalk.

Nautical. a device for supporting a standing yard, having a pivot permitting the yard to swing horizontally when braced.

a collection of things tied together or packed in a receptacle; bundle; pack.

Chiefly British. a bundle of hay or straw, especially one containing about 56 pounds (25.4 kilograms) of old hay, 60 pounds (27.2 kilograms) of new hay, or 36 pounds (16.3 kilograms) of straw.

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Origin of truss

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb trussen, from Old French tr(o)usser, variant of torser, probably from unattested Vulgar Latin torsāre, derivative of unattested torsus, for Latin tortus, past participle of torquere “to twist, wind, wrap”; Middle English noun trosse, trus, trusse “bundle,” from Old French trousse, torse, derivative of torser

OTHER WORDS FROM truss

trusser, nounun·der·truss, verb (used with object)

Words nearby truss

trunks, trunk show, trunnel, trunnion, Truro, truss, truss bridge, trussed, truss hoop, trussing, truss rod

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use truss in a sentence

In a proposal they developed for reengineering several trusses, the researchers showed that savings of at least 10% in embodied emissions could be achieved with no loss of performance.
Low-carbon construction|David L. Chandler|February 23, 2022|MIT Technology Review
When she turned to see what it was, she saw Sydney running toward her but into the path of a toppling truss.
An accident at the Marine Corps Marathon took her foot. Now she’s sprinting at the Paralympics.|Glynn A. Hill|September 1, 2021|Washington Post
If so, these tiny trusses could be the basis of new armor for everything from people in combat to objects in space.
Microscopic mesh could be the key to lighter, stronger body armor|Charlotte Hu|August 22, 2021|Popular-Science
With its additional diagonals, the sponge’s lattice has more joints than a traditional truss and less distance between the joints, which may allow the structure to sustain greater compression before buckling, Fernandes said.
The Curious Strength of a Sea Sponge’s Glass Skeleton|Elena Renken|January 11, 2021|Quanta Magazine

NASA has been studying something similar, with trusses that support lengthy wings to keep them from fluttering.
This weird-looking plane could someday be a fast, clean option for air travel|Rob Verger|September 28, 2020|Popular-Science
Most cooks these days do not, alas, truss their own roasts or carefully make cheesecloth bags to hold their soup herbs.
The 2012 Holiday Kitchen Gift Guide|Megan McArdle|December 13, 2012|DAILY BEAST
So it is that he sympathizes with the dads who have to know how to truss a chicken, for your sake.
15 Hottest Books For Dad|Malcolm Jones, Jimmy So|June 17, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The Howe truss had timber chords and a lattice of timber struts, with vertical iron ties.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various
Fig. 20 shows a Fink truss, a characteristic early American type, with cast iron compression and wrought iron tension members.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various
Truss the birds, and stuff them with chopped truffles and rasped bacon, seasoned with salt and pepper and a tiny dust of cayenne.
Dressed Game and Poultry la Mode|Harriet A. de Salis
Take four pigeons, truss and braise them in stock, then glaze them, dish them up against a block of fried bread.
Dressed Game and Poultry la Mode|Harriet A. de Salis
This bridge has seven arches, and is a combination truss and arch design, capable of sustaining an immense weight.
The Old Pike|Thomas B. Searight

British Dictionary definitions for truss

truss

/ (trʌs) /

verb (tr)

(sometimes foll by up) to tie, bind, or bundleto truss up a prisoner

to fasten or bind the wings and legs of (a fowl) before cooking to keep them in place

to support or stiffen (a roof, bridge, etc) with structural members

informal to confine (the body or a part of it) in tight clothes

falconry (of falcons) to hold (the quarry) in the stoop without letting go

med to supply or support with a truss

noun

a structural framework of wood or metal, esp one arranged in triangles, used to support a roof, bridge, etc

med a device for holding a hernia in place, typically consisting of a pad held in position by a belt

horticulture a cluster of flowers or fruit growing at the end of a single stalk

nautical a metal fitting fixed to a yard at its centre for holding it to a mast while allowing movement

architect another name for corbel

a bundle or pack

mainly British a bundle of hay or straw, esp one having a fixed weight of 36, 56, or 60 pounds

Derived forms of truss

trusser, noun

Word Origin for truss

C13: from Old French trousse, from trousser, apparently from Vulgar Latin torciāre (unattested), from torca (unattested) a bundle, torch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

truss

Origin of truss

OTHER WORDS FROM truss

Words nearby truss

Words related to truss

How to use truss in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for truss

Derived forms of truss

Word Origin for truss