trig
English
Etymology 1
From Middle English trig, tryg, from Old Norse tryggr (“loyal, faithful, true”), from Proto-Germanic *triwwiz (“loyal, faithful, true”). Cognate with Old English trēowe (“faithful, loyal, true”). More at true.
Adjective
trig (comparative trigger, superlative triggest)
- (now chiefly dialectal) True; trusty; trustworthy; faithful.
- (now chiefly dialectal) Safe; secure.
- (now chiefly dialectal) Tight; firm; steady; sound; in good condition or health.
- Neat; tidy; trim; spruce; smart.
- (Can we date this quote?) British Quarterly Review
- To sit on a horse square and trig.
- 1907, Robert William Chambers, chapter IX, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, OCLC 24962326:
- “A tight little craft,” was Austin’s invariable comment on the matron; and she looked it, always trim and trig and smooth of surface like a converted yacht cleared for action. ¶ Near her wandered her husband, orientally bland, invariably affable, […].
- 1973, Newsweek, April 16
- The [torture] stories seemed incongruent with the men telling them – a trim, trig lot who, given a few pounds more flesh, might have stepped right out of a recruiting poster.
- (Can we date this quote?) British Quarterly Review
- (now chiefly dialectal) Active; clever.
Etymology 2
Abbreviation of trigonometry.
Noun
trig (countable and uncountable, plural trigs)
- (uncountable) Trigonometry.
- (surveying, countable, informal) A trigonometric point, trig point.
Etymology 3
See trigger.
Noun
trig (plural trigs)
Verb
trig (third-person singular simple present trigs, present participle trigging, simple past and past participle trigged)
Verb
trig (third-person singular simple present trigs, present participle trigging, simple past and past participle trigged)
Etymology 5
Clipping.
References
- trig in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
Old English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic *trugaz, *trugą, *truh-, *trauh-, *trawją, from Proto-Indo-European *drAuk(')- (“a type of vessel”). Akin to Old English trōg (“trough”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /tij/
Declension
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
nominative | triġ | triġu |
accusative | triġ | triġu |
genitive | triġes | triġa |
dative | triġe | triġum |