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trencherman

trencherman

1 9.9
A person who eats and drinks a lot at big meals
  • noun
  • /ˈtrɛnʧərmən/
  • Archaic
: tragón
  • At the buffet, he proudly introduced himself as a trencherman who could eat everything on the table.

Examples

  • - Actually, I am more of a trencherman.

  • A compulsive eater," he said, "is a first-rate trencherman, and when he is in his stride, he can go through five or six meals at a grazing.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Etiquette, of course, demanded that, seeing everybody's white garments, he should conform; but in fact, though fully the match of his fellow guests as a trencherman, he did not match them in his dress (I mean, his resolve).

    Academic text (1991)
  • Known as a true trencherman, he always finished his meals and often asked for seconds.

  • Despite his slim appearance, he was a trencherman, devouring large portions at every meal.

Synonyms

big eater
vstrencherman
4 3.0

A person who eats a lot of food

is someone who enjoys hearty eating and drinking rather than mere quantity
gourmand
vstrencherman
2 8.1

A person who loves eating and drinking, often too much

is about enjoying large amounts of food and drink, not just pleasure
gormandizer
vstrencherman
  • Archaic
1 9.4

A person who eats too much in a greedy way

is more about hearty enjoyment than calling it greedy
gorger
vstrencherman
1 9.8

A person who eats quickly and greedily

is about enjoying large amounts calmly rather than rapid greedy eating
wolfer
vstrencherman
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who eats very fast and with little table manners

is focused on hearty enjoyment and quantity, not rude fast eating
gourmandizer
vstrencherman
9.9

A person who eats and drinks too much and likes large rich meals

is about enjoying food and drink broadly rather than only excess

Antonyms

1 4.9

A person who eats small amounts of food many times a day

How Hearty

glutton
  • Offensive
15 7.0
overeater
3 3.3
trencherman
  • Archaic
1 9.9
hearty
6 3.8
grazer
1 4.9

Surface Forms

trencherman singular
trenchermen plural

Morphology

trencherman = trencher + man (opaque) = trencher + man

Although formed from 'trencher' + 'man', 'trencher' is archaic and unfamiliar to many learners, so the compound sense 'hearty eater' is not derivable by a typical B1 learner.

Etymology

Trencherman comes from trencher, which was a flat piece of bread or a wooden plate used at meals and thought of as a 'bread plate'. A trencherman was someone who eagerly ate from the 'trencher', so the word now means a hearty eater who enjoys food and drink a lot.