Forms: 3–7 trusse, (3–6 trosse, 4–5 tros(e), 4–5 trus, (truse, 5 trush, trusshe), 6 trousse, trowse, 6– truss. β. Sc. 4–6 turss, 5 twrss, 6 turs, turse. Pa. t. and pple. trussed; also 5–7 trust, 6 truste; β. Sc. 4–6 tursit, 5 -id, -ed, 6 turst. [ad. F. trousser, in OF. also trusser (Chanson Roland, 11th c.), trosser, torser, tourser ‘to trusse, tucke, packe up, to bind or gird up or in’ (Cotgr.) = Pr. trossar (and med.L. trossare), OSp. trossar, Sp. troxar, Pg. trouxar (Diez), of disputed etymology; referred by Diez to the late L. ppl. stem tort- or tors- of L. torquēre to twist. But the sense in the mod. langs. presents difficulties, and other derivations have been conjectured; see Diez, Littré, Scheler, Hatz.-Darm.]
1. trans. To tie in a bundle, or stow away closely in a receptacle; to bundle, pack. Also with up. (With the stuff, or the bundle or receptacle, as obj.) Now rare or Obs.
c. 1300. Havelok, 2017. He wolden … trusse al þat he mihten fynde … in arke or in kiste.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 1129. Þay … Tyffen her takles, trussen her males.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XVII. 859. He gert turss his geir.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 681. But hood … wered he noon, For it was trussed vp in his walet.
a. 1450. Songs & Carols (Warton Cl.), 43. Fowre and xx good arwys trusyd in a thrumme.
a. 1450. Brut, 435. The Frensshe men … trussid hir packe and went her wey.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, li. 173. They shall gyue me bothe gownes and mantelles, so that thou shalt haue myche a do to truss them in my male.
1557. N. T. (Genev.), Acts xxi. 15. We trussed vp our fardeles [1611 tooke vp our cariages] and went vp to Ierusalem.
1623. Bingham, Xenophon, 69. They trussed vp their baggage, and … marched forth.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 119. A bundle of plants, such as he had trussed up together.
1861. Our Eng. Home, 105. Officers … whose duty it was to … truss the beds in sacks or hides.
b. fig. (See also TRUSSED 1 b.)
c. 1394. P. Pl. Crede, 618. Or þat blissinge … Þei may trussen her part in a terre powȝe!
c. 1425. Cast. Persev., 1637, in Macro Plays, 125. Þat curteys qwene … in here was trussyd þe trinite.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xiii. 38. Sum in his toung his kyndnes tursis.
1579. E. K., in Spenser’s Sheph. Cal., Ded. What in most English wryters vseth to be loose,… in this Authour is well grounded, finely framed, and strongly trussed vp together.
1664. Owen, Vind. Animad. Fiat Lux, i. Trussing up such a fardel of trifles and quibbles.
† c. To charge or burden with a bundle or pack, or a number of such; to load (a pack-horse, etc.); to lade (a ship). Obs.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 166. Noble men & gentile ne bereð nout packes, ne ne uareð nout itrussed mid trusseaus.
13[?]. K. Alis., 850 (Bodl. MS.). Þe … kniȝttes … trusseden her somers And lepen vpon her destrers.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 12313. Tho shippes to shilde o þe shyre whaghes,… And tyrn hom to takle, & trusse for the sea.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, cxxx. 478. They … trussyd & newe wyttelyd theyr shyppes.
1570. Levins, Manip., 193/28. To Trusse, sarcinare.
d. Naut. To furl (a sail). Also absol. (? Obs.)
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 3655. The marynerse … Of theire termys they talke, how thay ware tydd, Towyne trvsselle one trete, trvssene vpe sailes.
c. 1400. [see TRUSSING vbl. sb. 1].
c. 1515. Cocke Lorell’s B. (Percy Soc.), 12. Some wounde at ye capstayne,… some dyde trusse and thrynge.
1594. Greene & Lodge, Looking Gl., G.’s Wks. (Rtldg.), 134. Our topsails up, we truss our spritsails in.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk. Brails, ropes … fastened to the outermost leech of the sail, in different places, to truss it close up as occasion requires. Ibid., Truss up, to, to brail up a sail suddenly; to toss up a bunt.
† e. trans. and intr. To become shrunken and compact; cf. TRUSS a., TRUSSED 1 b. Obs. rare.
1552. Huloet, Trusse vp as a cow or like best doth of milke, subducere lac. Ibid., Trused vp as a bitch, or cow is of milke, subductus. Trussed vp, to be, of milche, subducor.
1693. [see TRUSSED ppl. a. 1 b].
† 2. To pack up and carry away; to convey or take with one in a pack; to carry off. (In later use only Sc.) Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 491. Ne haue we wil us trussed noght, Bot thing þat we ha lele boght.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), viii. 30. Þam behoues also trusse þaire vitailles with þam thurgh þe forsaid desertes.
1422. trans. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv., 162. Hare golde, Syluyr, armure, and Iowell with bam thay tursid.
1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot. (Rolls), II. 342. Tha left na gude that tha mycht turs awa.
1567. Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 195. Preistis, keip no gold … Nor zit twa coittis with ȝow turs.
† 3. intr. or absol. To pack up one’s clothes, etc., in readiness for a journey: = PACK v.1 2 c. Also fig. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 9978. Vaste he [King Philip] let trossi, to france uor to drawe.
c. 1375. Cursor M., 21115 (Fairf.). Þai bad him trusse & make him boun.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XX. xviii. 829. They trussed and payd alle that wold aske hem, and holy an honderd knyghtes departed with sir launcelot.
1696–7. Evelyn, Lett. to Bohun, 18 Jan. And so you have the history of a very old man … I … am now every day trussing up to be gon.
† 4. intr. To take oneself off, be off, go away, depart: = PACK v.1 10 b; sometimes simply to go.
1362. Langl., P. Pl., A. II. 194. Lyȝere … nas nouȝwher welcome … Bote ouur al i-hunted and hote to trusse.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxiii. 151. A! lord, late vs no forther trus.
c. 1518. Skelton, Magnyf., 1774. As for all other, let them trusse and packe.
1592. Babington, Notes on Gen., xii. § 10. She trusseth vp and away with him whither God should appoint.
1721. Ramsay, Richy & Sandy, 73. Let us truse and hame o’er bend.
† b. refl. in same sense: = PACK v. 10 a. Obs.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 1143. And þen he trussys hym to tyre & þar hys tentes settes.
c. 1400. Sowdone Bab., 1707. Trusse the forth eke.
c. 1440. Partonope, 3692. Therto eche man trusse hym home.
† c. trans. To ‘send packing,’ drive off, put to flight. Obs. rare.
c. 1475. Partenay, 2154. The Brehaignons went out thaim Faste trussing [F. destruisant].
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., IX. (S.T.S.), II. 183. Al scotis … suld be turssed away to Scotland.
5. trans. To make fast to something with or as with a cord, band, or the like; to bind, tie, fasten; † also, to put on, gird on (clothing, etc.): cf. 6. Now rare.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 322. Ich chulle … trussen al þi schendfulnesse o þine owune necke.
13[?]. K. Alis., 5477 (Bodl. MS.). Þe kyng … dooþ on a Borel of a squyer,… And trusseþ a male hym bihynde.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 5293. Teutra the true kyng was trust on a litter.
1575. R. B., Appius & Virg., E ij b. Goe trusse him to a tree.
1646. H. Lawrence, Comm. Angells, 113. They would … let him trusse on their armour.
1698. Fryer, Acc. E. India & P., 20. Only a Clout … trust with a String about their Waists.
1813. Scott, Rokeby, V. xxxvi. Round his left arm his mantle truss’d, Received and foiled three lances’ thrust.
b. spec. To tie the ‘points’ or laces with which the hose were fastened to the doublet. (With the hose, the points, or the person as obj.) Cf. 6. Obs. exc. Hist.
c. 1460. J. Russell, Bk. Nurture, 898. Strike his hosyn vppewarde his legge … Þen trusse ye them vp strayte.
c. 1530. H. Rhodes, Bk. Nurture, in Babees Bk. (1868), 70. Help to araye him, trusse his poyntes, stryke vp his Hosen.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., I. iii. Steph. Helpe to trusse me…. He dos so vexe me—. Bray. You’ll be worse vex’d, when you are truss’d…. Best keepe vn-brac’d.
1632. Massinger, Maid of Hon., I. i. In the time of trussing a point, he can undo Or make a man.
1822. Scott, Nigel, xvii. Let me have the honour of trussing you. Now, observe, I have left several of the points untied of set purpose.
1856. Doran, Knights & Days, ix. 139. Guy trussed his points, pulled up his hose.
6. To confine or enclose (the body, or some part of it) by something fastened closely round; to bind or tie up; to gird; to fasten up (the hair) with ribbon, pins, combs, etc.; to adjust and draw close the garments of (a person); hence contemptuously in reference to dress. Also with up. (Cf. 5 b.) ? Obs.
1340. [see TRUSSING vbl. sb. 1].
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 504/2. Trussyn, and byndyn, as menn done soore lymys, fascio.
1560. Bible (Genev.), Jer. i. 17. Trusse vp thy loynes.
1610. G. Fletcher, Christ’s Vict., I. lxv. Now she would sighing sit,… in sack cloth trust.
1712. Budgell, Spect., No. 277, ¶ 7. How ridiculously … we have all been trussed up…, and how infinitely the French Dress excels ours.
1736. Ainsworth, Lat. Dict. (1783), I. To truss up the hair of one’s head, caesariem, vel comam, in nodum colligere.
1833. J. Holland, Manuf. Metal, II. 32. The combs used by the lower class of females for trussing their hair.
† b. To insert closely, to tuck. Obs.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. xvii. 18. Bitwene the saddyll and the pannell, they trusse a brode plate of metall.
a. 1500. in Archæologia, IV. 313. To trusse the endes of the said sheete under every end of the bolster.
1638. Guillim, Heraldry, III. xx. (ed. 3), 231. Fowles having long shankes doe (in their flight) stretch forth their legges…; but such as are short legged doe trusse their feet to the middest of their bodies.
1651. trans. De-las-Coveras’ Don Fenise, 114. This woman … trussing up her garment turned her legs into wings and fled.
7. To fasten up on a gallows or cross, to hang as a criminal; to ‘string up.’ (Chiefly with up.) arch.
1536. Remedy Sedition, B iij b. He was forthwith truste vppe.
1600. Holland, Livy, XXVIII. xxxvii. 696. He commanded them to be roundly trussed up and crucified [cruci affīgī].
1618. Bolton, Florus, III. xix. (1636), 234. He bound the remaynes of those strong theeves in chaines … and trussed them on gallowses.
a. 1721. Prior, Vicar of Bray & Sir T. Moor, 426. To be trussed up … as a Traytor.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxiii. If they must truss me, I will repent of nothing so much … as of the injury I have done my Lily.
1882. Stevenson, Fam. Stud. Men & Bks., Villon (1905), 162. How or when he died, whether decently in bed or trussed up to a gallows, remains a riddle.
† b. intr. for pass. To be hanged: cf. to hang.
1592. Arden of Feversham, III. vi. If thou beest tainted … And come in question, surely, thou wilt trusse.
1601. F. Godwin, Bps. of Eng., 275. The halter was … about the yoong mans necke and he euen ready to trusse.
8. To fasten the wings or legs of (a fowl or other animal) to the body with skewers or otherwise, in preparation for cooking.
[c. 1450. Two Cookery-bks., 8. Take a kydde … fle him, and larde him, and trusse his legges in þe sides, and roste him.]
1704. Swift, Batt. Bks., Misc. (1711), 266. As when a skilful Cook has truss’d a Brace of Woodcocks.
1796. Mrs. Glasse, Cookery, v. 90. Take a fat pig,… slit and truss him up like a lamb.
1846. J. Baxter’s Libr. Pract. Agric., II. 221. The Higgler’s method of Killing, Picking, and Trussing Fowls.
b. transf.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 9. The patient must … make the shoulder blades meet by trussing back the elbows.
9. Of a bird of prey: To seize or clutch (the prey) in its talons; spec. to seize (the quarry) in the air and carry it off. arch. (and Her.) Also fig.
1567. Golding, Ovid’s Met., VI. (1593), 144. As when the scarefull erne With hooked talents trussing up a hare among the ferne, Hath laid her in his nest.
1575. Turberv., Falconrie, 50. If shee strike hir or stoupe hir or trusse hir then suffer hir to kill it.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. xi. 19. As hagard hauke … His wearie pounces all in vaine doth spend To trusse the pray too heavy for his flight.
1649. G. Daniel, Trinarch., Hen. IV., ccxxxiv. A young Eagle … rather Chus’d … at Armed Cranes to flye; Or trusse a farr-seen Swan.
1667. Dryden, Maiden Queen, III. i. So—at last he has truss’d his Quarry.
1742. Somerville, Field Sports, 210. The vigorous hawk … Truss’d in mid-air bears down her captive prey.
1864. Boutell, Her. Hist. & Pop., xvii. § 2 (ed. 3), 274. A cormorant trussing a fish all ppr.
1867. J. B. Rose, trans. Virgil’s Æneid, 266. So stoops the bird of Jove … To truss the snowy swan or dusky hare.
1883. Harting, Perf. Bk. Kepinge Sparhawkes, Gloss. 49. Truss, to clutch the quarry in the air instead of striking it to the ground.
1910. Radcliffe, in Encycl. Brit., X. 143/1. A hawk is said to ‘truss’ a bird when she catches it in the air, and comes to the ground with it in her talons.
transf. 1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XIV. vi. 649. The lyon took his lytel whelp and trussed hym, and bare hym there he came fro.
1855. Browning, Fra Lippo, 88. The wind doubled me up, and down I went. Old Aunt Lapaccia trussed me with one hand.
10. To tighten up (a bell) on its stock after it has worked loose. ? Obs.
1468–1540. [see TRUSSING vbl. sb. 1].
1545. Churchw. Acc. St. Dunstan’s, Canterb. For yerone [iron] worke to trowse the bellys xij d.
1622–3. in Swayne, Sarum Churchw. Acc. (1896), 175. For newe Trussinge the 2 3 4 and 5 bells, 5 s.
11. To compress the staves of (a cask) into the required shape and position by means of a trussing-hoop (see TRUSSING vbl. sb. 3).
1535. Coverdale, Jer. xlviii. 12. I shall sende hir trussers to trusse her vp, to prepare and season hir vessels.
1688. R. Holme, Armoury, III. 108/1. Trussing a Barrel, is putting it together from Boards or Staves within a Hoop.
1883. Fisheries Exhib. Catal., 83. Apparatus for heating casks before being trussed.
12. Building, etc. a. Truss over: see quot. ? Obs.
1703. T. N., City & C. Purchaser, 109. Instead of Arching, they truss-over, or over-span, as they phrase it, i.e. they lay the end of one Brick about half way over the end of another, and so, till both sides meet within half a Bricks length, and then a bonding Brick at the top finishes the Arch. Ibid., 198. A kind of Bench,… upon which they lay the largest Stones, and so truss them over,… after the manner of Clamps for Bricks.
b. To support or strengthen with a TRUSS (sb. 6).
1823. [see TRUSSING vbl. sb. 1].
1847. Smeaton, Builder’s Man., 77. It is not necessary to truss all the rafters in a roof.
1889. Daily News, 15 July, 6/3. This new safety ladder, securely trussed on springs and wheels.
