201312.06 word (week13-5)

1.wring(v.)
[+ obj] 1) : to twist and squeeze (wet cloth, hair, etc.) to remove water
▪ I wrung my hair and wrapped it in a towel.— often + out ▪ I wrung out my wet bathing suit. — sometimes used figuratively ▪ She has been wrung dry by bills. [=she has no money left because she used all of it to pay bills]

2) : to get (something) out of someone or something with a lot of effort
— + out of or from ▪ They tried to wring [=squeeze] every last dollar of profit out of the failing company. 3) : to twist and break (an animal's neck) in order to kill the animal
▪ wring a chicken's neck

*wringing wet

: very wet
▪ His clothes were wringing wet from the rain.

*wring someone's neck

informal — used to say that you are very angry with someone ▪ He makes me so mad! I could wring his neck!

*)wring your hands

: to twist and rub your hands together because you are nervous or upset
▪ She was wringing her hands and pacing back and forth while waiting for her son to call.

2.wag(v.): to move something from side to side repeatedly
 [+ obj]  ▪ She wagged her finger at the children as she scolded them.
[no obj] ▪ The dog's tail began to wag excitedly.

3.undermine(v.)+ obj] : to make (someone or something) weaker or less effective usually in a secret or gradual way
▪ She tried to undermine my authority by complaining about me to my boss.

4.trot(v.)
[no obj] 1) of a horse : to move at a speed faster than walking by stepping with each front leg at the same time as the opposite back leg
▪ A horse trotted past us.

2) always followed by an adverb or preposition

a : to run at a slow, steady pace
▪ The batter trotted around the bases after hitting a home run.
b : to move quickly 
▪ She trotted off to help.*hot to trot
*trot out [phrasal verb]
*trot (something) out or trot out (something) informal

1) disapproving : to say (something that has been said before) as an excuse, explanation, etc.
▪ Don't trot out that old excuse again.

2) : to bring (something) out to be displayed

▪ Designers trotted out their latest designs at the fashion show.

5.trench(n.)

[count] 1)

a : a long, narrow hole that is dug in the ground 
b : a deep, narrow hole in the ground that is used as protection for soldiers
 — usually plural ▪ a brave soldier who fought in the trenches in World War I ▪ trench warfare [=military fighting by soldiers in trenches]

2) : a long, narrow hole in the ocean floor

*the trenches

: a place or situation in which people do very difficult work
▪ These people are working every day down in the trenches to improve the lives of refugees.