trainer

Everyday

1. A person who teaches people or animals to do something, especially a sport or a skill, like a football trainer or a dog trainer. tree →
2. In British, Irish and Australian English, trainers are soft sports shoes for running and games (Americans say sneakers). tree →
3. A thing used for practice, like training wheels (stabilisers) or a trainer cup for a baby. tree →

In the lessons

In PE and everyday life, a trainer coaches a team and keeps players fit; a dog trainer teaches dogs to sit and walk on a lead. In the UK and Ireland you wear trainers for PE; in the USA and Canada they are sneakers, and in Australia and New Zealand people also say runners or sneakers. Phrases: "a pair of trainers", "personal trainer", "dog trainer", "horse trainer", "do up your trainers".

Examples

• Put your trainers on for PE. tree →
• I need new trainers because mine have a hole. tree →
• The trainer made us run three laps of the field. tree →
• The dog trainer taught Rex to sit and stay. tree →
• My big sister has a personal trainer at the gym. tree →
• The horse trainer gave the pony an apple. tree →
• Tie your trainer laces so you do not trip. tree →
• Our football trainer says practice makes progress. tree →

Note

Trainers (shoes) is usually plural, "a pair of trainers" — in maths, one pair = 2 trainers. "Trainer" is a person who trains; "trainee" is the person being trained. American English: sneakers; "a trainer" in the USA is usually a person (an athletic trainer). The ending -er often means "a person who does", as in teacher, baker, trainer.