"Trenchard"

Dan'l Danehy Oakes · 22 May 1998, 08:51 · from urth-v0011.mbox · original

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From: "Dan'l Danehy Oakes" <DDANEHYO at us.oracle.com>
Subject: (urth) "Trenchard"
Date: 22 May 98 08:51:05
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Tony Ellis wrote:

> As for the significance of Trenchard... a trencher is, of
> course, a wooden or ceramic platter, and significantly the
> word comes from the French trenchoir. Would that make a
> trenchard some sort of serving man, a medieval plate-
> carrier? Just a thought.

_Trencheior_ or _trenchier_, actually; a medieval French verb=20
now obsolete in either form.  (May come from trinicare, a=20
later Vulgar Latin verb meaning 'to cut or divide in three,'=20
but that's not attested.)  The verb meant 'to cut,' and is=20
also the root for "trenchant." =20

Given the -ard suffix, I would guess that "trenchard" means=20
something like "person from the trench."  Not very helpful,
I know.

--Roach

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