trim

Everyday

1. To trim means to cut a little off to make something neat: trim the hedge, trim your hair. tree →
2. A trim is a short haircut that just tidies the hair. tree →
3. Trim is a strip of material used to decorate edges, like lace on a dress. tree →
4. To trim means to decorate: trim the Christmas tree. tree →
5. Trim means neat and slim. tree →

In the lessons

Maths: cutting a length shorter (take away); trim along an edge asks for the perimeter; trimming a budget means cutting costs. Everyday: trim nails, trim a beard, trim the edges of a picture, trimmings (extra bits like decorations or side dishes).

Examples

• She trimmed 2 inches off her hair. tree →
• He trims 5 bushes each hour. tree →
• The trim goes around a table 4 meters long. tree →
• How much ribbon trim is needed for the frame? tree →
• Dad trims the hedge every summer. tree →
• I need a trim, my fringe is in my eyes. tree →
• We trimmed the tree with lights and tinsel. tree →
• Trim the crusts off the sandwiches. tree →
• Deirdre grew like the white sapling, straight and trim as the rash on the moss. tree →

Note

Doubles the m: trimmed, trimming. Trimming off takes away. Trim around an edge asks for the perimeter. Trap: none.