Oxford English and Spanish Dictionary, Synonyms, and Spanish to English Translator

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Meaning of trunk in English:

trunk

Pronunciation /trʌŋk/

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noun

1The main woody stem of a tree as distinct from its branches and roots.
‘Trees with large trunks and deep anchoring roots represent the ultimate challenge in withstanding oxygen-deprivation in wetland habitats.’
- ‘He then sat down with his back to Hunter and Jason and began rooting through the fallen trunk of a tree.’
- ‘Many plants have a number of distinct organs: roots, stems or trunks, leaves, fertile parts.’
- ‘In woody plants, the cambial layer in the trunk, branches and roots also retains proliferative capacity.’
- ‘Archaeopteris was a true tree, with a woody trunk, xylem, secondary cambium, and leaves.’
- ‘Regeneration occurs from the branches or the trunk of fallen trees that root into the underlying soil.’
- ‘As it puts down roots, the trunk shoots up and branches spread out.’
- ‘Scaling studies of other species have suggested that the entire tree, including the trunk, may bend in response to wind.’
- ‘Subsequently, poplar trees were divided into leaves, trunk and roots.’
- ‘The distance travelled by fruits after their dispersal was measured from the base of the trunk of respective trees.’
- ‘In the latter sampling period, the stem was further divided into the main trunk and branches.’
- ‘Both have woody trunks and woody roots as well as stipulate leaf bases.’
- ‘The nest is typically located in dense foliage on a horizontal branch near the trunk of a tree, or in a vertical fork.’
- ‘Whether the tree is large or small, the key is to prune the unwanted branch while protecting the stem or trunk wood of the tree.’
- ‘These gray or gray-green plants live on the branches and trunks of the trees, but they are not parasitic.’
- ‘The steel columns holding up the roof will resemble the trunks and branches of trees.’
- ‘Paris admired him from behind the trunk of a deciduous tree.’
- ‘The trunk and branches of trees can be used as mulch for gardens, park or animal stalls.’
- ‘With age, the trunk of the tree gets thicker while the root base remains stunted inside the concrete pavements.’
- ‘Again, if we expose some surface roots at the base of the trunk as in old trees, an appearance of age can be achieved.’
main stem, bole, stock
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1. 1.1The main part of an artery, nerve, or other anatomical structure from which smaller branches arise.
  ‘The main trunk of the stapedial artery atrophies and its origin from the internal carotid disappears.’
  ‘The posterior communicating artery is sometimes joined with the middle cerebral artery instead of the trunk of the internal carotid.’
  ‘These plaques can extend to the great veins, coronary sinus, pulmonary trunk, and main pulmonary arteries.’
  ‘A lateral internal thoracic artery may arise from the thyrocervical trunk.’
  ‘The facial artery may arise by a common trunk with the lingual.’
2. 1.2An enclosed shaft or conduit for cables or ventilation.
  ‘We have also strange and artificial echoes and we have means to convey sounds in trunks and pipes in strange lines and distances.’
  ‘Tailor-welded blanks are used in the doors, but the trunk is laser welded and built with two sets of tools.’
  ‘Workers cleaned and repaired the Baghdad trunk sewer line and its associated manholes and pumping stations.’
  ‘The scheme comprised the construction of a low-level 1200 mm. diameter tunnel connected into the Thames Water trunk sewer.’
  ‘Over the last 25 years work has been carried out on upgrading and refurbishing the old drainage system and providing new trunk sewers.’
2A person's or animal's body apart from the limbs and head.
‘The somites, now positioned on either side of the neural tube, give rise to the vertebrae and ribs, to the muscles of the trunk and limbs, and also contribute to the dermis of the skin.’
- ‘The rash usually starts on the trunk of the body in red bumps.’
- ‘They are unlike chickenpox, which develops first on the trunk of the body and is seen in various stages of development.’
- ‘It typically starts as one large spot, usually on the trunk of the body, and then spreads.’
- ‘Gradually, the patient developed dystonic posturing of limbs and trunks, had difficulty in walking, dysarthria, drooling of saliva with tremor of limbs.’
- ‘Most of the children have burns to the trunk and limbs and therefore find it fairly easy to hide their scars and pressure garments under tracksuits and high collared, long sleeved shirts.’
- ‘The second stage ensues one to four days later with an erythematous maculopapular rash on the trunk and limbs, which may spread to involve large areas.’
- ‘These effects of microgravity can be reduced by special regimes which exercise the muscles, especially those of the trunk and lower limbs.’
- ‘They are most often found on the trunk of the body and on the arms and legs.’
- ‘Dry skin occurs most commonly on the arms and legs, but can also affect the trunk of the body.’
- ‘Approximately 80% occur on the head and neck, with the rest mainly on the trunk and lower limbs, particularly in women.’
- ‘The rash starts on the face and ears and gradually spreads to the trunk and limbs.’
- ‘They may move their trunk and limbs in meaningless ways.’
- ‘They are quadriplegics, whose injuries or illnesses affect all four limbs and the trunk.’
- ‘Furthermore, this winding and unwinding of power in the trunk of the body requires fairly strong legs as well to stabilize the swing.’
- ‘Cross-unders can be quick and precise because the legs have less mass than the trunk of the body.’
- ‘You can extend one arm beyond the other and keep them both straight by twisting the trunk of your body, and rolling at the shoulders.’
- ‘A core-focused routine exercises the muscles that support and align the spine, and the stabilizer muscles of the body trunk.’
- ‘Pressure ulcers were located either on the trunk or nontrunk areas of the body.’
- ‘This was in her right face, trunk and limbs for the pins and needles, and just mild problems swallowing.’
torso, body
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3The elongated, prehensile nose of an elephant.
‘The trunk of an Asian elephant is so exquisitely prehensile that it can pick up a dime from a concrete floor.’
- ‘The elephants nosed their trunks toward the stream, taking sips with two finger-like appendages.’
- ‘The bones belong to an animal in the order Proboscidea - large mammals with trunks - the same order that includes living elephants.’
- ‘The trunk is actually an elongation of the nose and has nostrils on the tip.’
- ‘The cameras also showed the elephants standing with their trunks to the ground, as though they were listening, which is probably what they were doing, given that the trunk is also packed with vibration sensors.’
- ‘Elephant trunks and tongues are other examples of a muscular hydrostat.’
- ‘Elephant trunks are so powerful, they can kill a person with one swipe, Fay said.’
- ‘The mucus inside the male elephant's trunk helps deliver a concentrated whiff of the seductive scent.’
- ‘Initially, the mahout guides the elephant's trunk over the canvas and offers rewards for good performance.’
- ‘The tip of the Asian elephant trunk contains both Pacinian and Meissner corpuscles.’
- ‘The first man felt the trunk of the elephant, the second the leg, the third the ear.’
- ‘The mammals investigate remains with their feet and trunks, paying special attention to the skulls and tusks of even long-dead elephants.’
- ‘The White Elephant waved his trunk around at the village.’
- ‘Its trunk allows an elephant to lift a log weighing a ton or more, shell a peanut, and detect odors up to five miles away.’
- ‘It uses its trunk, or proboscis, to gather food and water and also to play, fight, feel its surroundings and detect smells.’
- ‘It was a mosaic of an elephant, his trunk raised to the sky, head tilted back, tusks raised.’
- ‘As this was going on, a clown dressed in a prisoner uniform was led out by two baby elephants, their tiny trunks holding him by his powder white gloves.’
proboscis, nose, snout
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4A large box with a hinged lid for storing or transporting clothes and other articles.
‘These tiny documents were purchased by a flea market trader in a trunk stored in the attic of a prominent Savannah family during the dispersal of an estate.’
- ‘She took her few clothes from her trunk and walked to the wardrobe with them.’
- ‘Two trunks with property are stored under the bed, and also two TVs, one on a fold-out desk, the other on a shelf for the top bunk.’
- ‘She set her clothes inside her trunk and closed the door.’
- ‘She looked through the trunk of clothes kept at the hotel.’
- ‘Instead she rummaged through the trunk to find some clothes.’
- ‘Waking up and stretching everything that happened last night came back to her and she shook in off and went to the garage to get her clothes out of her trunk.’
- ‘She was glad she kept an extra change of clothes in her trunk.’
- ‘Mike put his old clothes in the trunk, and put on his new ones.’
- ‘I dragged in the trunk filled with clothes that Annie and Katie had selected on that big shopping trip we had gone on before I left.’
- ‘Sighing, she grabbed her trunk full of clothes and a canvas bag full of other miscellaneous items, and trudged out the door.’
- ‘I had no other choice though; no change of clothes in the trunk, and even if there were, I doubt it'd be acceptable.’
- ‘She simply nodded, and then began to walk, not even bothering to take any clothes out of the trunk to take with them.’
- ‘And to make matters even more interesting, their emperor has found a whole trunk of new clothes.’
- ‘I yelled as I opened the door and saw Annette, who was throwing clothes into her trunk.’
- ‘I had a huge trunk with my clothes and other personal items closed safely inside.’
- ‘Rolling onto her feet, she walked to her dresser and began to lay her clothes into an old trunk.’
- ‘So, I went next door to help her get out of her evening gown and fold some of her day things and store them in her trunk.’
- ‘I was allowed to follow her into the tiny rectangular storeroom where everyone's clothes and certificates were kept in many sized boxes, trunks, cartons and files.’
- ‘Krystal showed the girls to her trunk full of clothes and she gave everyone an outfit, which they put on without hesitating.’
chest, box, storage box, crate, coffer
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1. 4.1North American An enclosed space at the back of a car for carrying luggage and other goods; a boot.
  ‘He lifted my luggage out of the trunk and carried it up the stairs, hardly granting me a look as he passed us and went inside.’
  ‘Both the rear seat and trunk get decent space, and sliding in and out of the car is considerably easier.’
  ‘Right now we don't generate enough to have a car with a very heavy frame, trunk space, glove compartment, cup holders and air conditioning.’
  ‘My parents were suddenly relegated to the back seat of our station wagon and my brother and I were stuffed in the trunk with the luggage.’
  ‘The right amount of trunk space in a rental car is crucial to getting your golf trip started right.’
  ‘We three burst out of the car, grabbed the luggage from the trunk, and just as the bus came up behind us, said our quick good byes even while jogging towards the bus.’
  ‘Dominic turned around in his seat to look behind him - all their luggage was in the trunk, but the backseat was filled with little odds and ends.’
  ‘I slid my brother's ring on and off my fingers as I leaned against the passenger seat of my car, waiting for Kes to put the last of her luggage in the trunk.’
  ‘After they loaded their luggage into the trunk everyone climbed into the car and followed the directions to the hotel they'd be staying at.’
  ‘We got my luggage in the trunk, and when the driver got into his seat, I was left standing awkwardly with my mom, not knowing what to say.’
  ‘We both got out of the car and pulled her luggage from the trunk.’
  ‘He reached our car and threw the last of our luggage into the trunk.’
  ‘They walked into the warehouse and left their luggage in the car trunk.’
  ‘The luggage went in the trunk, the suits were hung from the hook in the backseat and the console was filled with CDs.’
  ‘After I parked my car in the garage, I took my luggage from the trunk and searched for my house key.’
  ‘Cat tried to pull their luggage out of the trunk of the car, all the while arguing with Peter on the cell phone.’
  ‘Finally, I chugged the last piece of luggage into the trunk of the car, and slammed it shut.’
  ‘Eli put Fiona's entire luggage in the trunk and instructed her to get in the car.’
  ‘Finally we pulled into the garage and we each grabbed some luggage from the trunk.’
  ‘Kim sighed and opened the car door, not bothering to unpack the luggage from the trunk.’
  luggage compartment
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