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n. 1. a. The main woody axis of a tree. b. Architecture The shaft of a column. 2. a. The body of a human or other vertebrate, excluding the head and limbs. b. The thorax of an insect. 3. A proboscis, especially the long prehensile proboscis of an elephant. 4. a. A main body, apart from tributaries or appendages. b. The main stem of a blood vessel or nerve apart from the branches. 5. A trunk line. 6. A chute or conduit. 7. Nautical a. A watertight shaft connecting two or more decks. b. The housing for the centerboard of a vessel. 8. Nautical Any of certain structures projecting above part of a main deck, as: a. A covering over the hatches of a ship. b. An expansion chamber on a tanker. c. A cabin on a small boat. 9. a. A covered compartment for luggage and storage, generally at the rear of an automobile. b. A large packing case or box that clasps shut, used as luggage or for storage. 10. trunks Shorts worn for swimming or other athletics. [Middle English trunke, from Old French tronc, from Latin truncus; see terə-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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