▪ I. † trunch, n. Obs. rare.
[ad. F. tronche fem.:—pop.L. *trunca for truncus stump of a tree, trunk (14th c. in Godef.).]
1. = truncheon n. 3.
| 1590 L. Lloyd Diall Daies Oct. 14 Tipstaves..with silver trunches and staves to go before.., and to keep the people in order. |
2. A post, stake.
| 1622 W. Bradford Relat. New Eng. 12 Little trunches knockt into the ground, and small stickes laid over, on which they hung their Pots. |
▪ II. trunch, a. Now dial.
(trʌnʃ)
[app. shortened f. truncheon a.; cf. L. truncus maimed, mutilated.]
Short and thick. Also in comb. trunch-made. Cf. truncheon a.
| 1683 Lond. Gaz. No. 1842/8 Lost.., a Black Gelding,..a thick trunch Horse. a 1825 Forby Voc. E. Anglia, Trunch, trunch-made,..short and thick, compact and squab in figure. |
Also trunched (trʌnʃt), ˈtrunchy adjs. in same sense (U.S.). rare. ? Obs.
| 1787 M. Cutler in Life, etc. (1888) I. 267, I saw a short, *trunched old man, in a plain Quaker dress. |
| 1778 Maryland Jrnl. 21 July Advt. (Thornton), A thick, *trunchy fellow. 1789 Ibid. 21 Apr., A trunchy well-set bright-bay horse. |