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trimmer

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trimmer¹

  • /ˈtɹɪmə/ UK

Rhymes with -ɪmə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

From trim + -er. Figurative sense of “person who changes views with prevailing opinions” from 1680s, from nautical sense of “adjust sails with the wind”.

adjective

  1. comparative comparative form of trim: more trim

noun trimmers

  1. One who trims, arranges, fits, or ornaments. It put me to endless expense of having roof-men, gutter-men and tree-trimmers. At last I gave the grim order, “Cut her down.”
  2. A device used to trim. My new electric shaver has a beard trimmer attachment.
  3. A member of the crew who trims the sails.

    Similar: sail trimmer

  4. Someone who fluctuates between opposing factions, political parties etc., according to current interest, a flip-flopper. Thus Halifax was a Trimmer on principle.
  5. A beam into which are framed the ends of headers in floor framing, as when a hole is to be left for stairs, or to avoid bringing joists near chimneys.
  6. historical A person employed to rearrange the coal in the hold of a vessel, so that it fills the vessel without forming a conical blockage. Trimmers are used to stow the coal in the vessel, and, in the case of vessels with awkwardly-situated cargo spaces, a great deal of trimming may be involved. Vessels specially constructed for coal carrying have very wide hatches, and these may be easy trimmers, that is, need only a minimum of trimme
  7. historical A device for storing coal in gradually increasing piles made by building up at the point of the cone or top of the prism.
  8. A float bearing a baited hook and line, used in fishing for pike.
  9. An adjustable electrical component.
  10. dated One who or that which trims, or rebukes or reproves; a scold. Mr. Hazeldean wrote him such a trimmer that it could not but produce an unconciliatory reply.
  11. A fast, high-quality delivery by the bowler, especially one that results in a dismissal of a batter by removing the bails without hitting the stumps.

Trimmer²

proper noun Trimmers

  1. A surname.

Translations

Every language

noun trimming device

Italianorifinitore

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Cite this
MLA

"trimmer." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/trimmer. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

trimmer. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/trimmer

Chicago

"trimmer." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/trimmer.

BibTeX
@misc{trimmer_2026,
  title = {trimmer},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/trimmer},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}