Trim has 23 different meanings across 4 categories:
Noun · Verb · Adjective · Proper Noun
a decoration or adornment on a garment
"the trimming on a hat"
"the trim on a shirt"
attitude of an aircraft in flight when allowed to take its own orientation
"The pilot adjusted the stabilizers until the plane's trim matched the desired cruise attitude, allowing it to maintain level flight without constant input."
Decoration; especially, decoration placed along edges or borders.
"The acronym TRIMs stands for Trade-Related Investment Measures, a key concept in international commerce agreements."
Acronym of trade-related investment measure.
In plain English: A trim is a small amount of money left over after paying all your bills.
"He kept his garden in trim all summer long."
adjust (sails on a ship) so that the wind is optimally used
"The captain ordered the crew to trim the sails as the gusts picked up, ensuring every inch of canvas caught the wind for maximum speed."
To reduce slightly; to cut; especially, to remove excess.
"The gardener trimmed the overgrown hedges to keep them from blocking the driveway."
In plain English: To trim something means to cut off small parts so it looks neat or fits properly.
Usage: Use trim when you are cutting away small amounts of material or lengthening something only slightly, such as trimming the hedges or hair. It often implies making an object look neat by removing just enough to improve its appearance without drastically changing it.
Physically fit.
"She looks very trim after her summer training camp."
In plain English: Trim means neat and well-groomed, like hair that has been cut evenly.
"The boat has a sleek and trim design."
In good order; properly managed or maintained.
"The garden looks trim after everyone spent the weekend weeding and pruning the overgrown hedges."
In plain English: To trim means to make something shorter or neater by cutting off the extra parts.
"He trimmed his nails before putting on his gloves."
A surname.
"The history book mentions that several early settlers, including a Mr. Trim, arrived in New England during the seventeenth century."
The word "trim" comes from the Old English verb trymman, which originally meant to make firm or strengthen. Over time, this sense of reinforcing something evolved into the modern meaning of cutting away excess material to improve appearance.