trough - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
trough Word Meanings
- a long container for holding water or food for animals
- a low, hollow area in the ground
- a period of low activity or decline
trough Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
trough Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/trɒf/
US
/trɔf/
trough Word Etymology
trough = from the Old English 'troh' meaning a receptacle; historical origin from Old English → Middle English → Modern English. Picture a long trough filled with grains, where farm animals gather around to feed, symbolizing sustenance.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputReal Context
trough is a noun with three main senses. First, a long container, often made of wood, metal, or plastic, used to hold water or food for animals such as cattle, sheep, or horses; you will hear water trough or feed trough on a farm. Second, a low, hollow area in the ground or surface, sometimes formed by erosion or natural depression. Third, a metaphorical sense meaning a period of low activity, decline, or stagnation in a sequence such as sales or economic activity; discussions may say the industry is at a trough. Common clues include fill, reach, or sit in a trough.
Usage Reminders
- - Do not confuse with ditch or drain when describing a low place in the ground.
- - Use water trough or feed trough for animals specifically.
- - Reserve trough for tangible containers, not abstract ideas.
- - When speaking of a downturn, pair trough with economic terms, not literal feeding contexts.
- - Watch phrasal options: fill, drain, reach, be at a trough.
Common Misconceptions
- It only refers to a water trough; it can hold food too.
- It means a negative point in any context, not just economic.
- A trough is always a man-made container, never a natural feature.
- Confusing with ditch or drain when describing ground depressions.
- Using trough to describe people or feelings is wrong.
Thinking Differences
In English, trough links three concrete ideas—an animal container, a ground depression, and a downturn—with distinct contexts and idioms. Learners tend to generalize the metaphor to any low point or confuse the two literal senses, producing odd phrases like the trough in a sentence about weather. Keeping senses separate helps avoid collocational errors.
Learning Tips
- Visualize three panels: container, ground hollow, and downturn.
- Learn 3 common collocations: fill the trough, reach a trough, at a trough.
- Practice with farm-themed vocab + a simple image set.
- Create a mini glossary linking each sense to a sample sentence.
- Compare with similar words like trough vs trench vs dip to solidify distinctions.
- Use note cards pairing each sense with a quick sentence.
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What is the meaning of the word 'trough'?
A.A long, narrow cavity or depression
B.A container for water
C.A high point or ridge
D.To dig or excavate
Step 2: Usage
Which of the following sentences uses 'trough' correctly?
A.She placed the flowers on top of the trough.
B.The mountain peak was covered in snow.
C.He dug a trough in the backyard for planting seeds.
D.The river flowed gently through the trough.
Step 3: Similar Words
What is a synonym for 'trough'?
A.Basin
B.Peak
C.Summit
D.Crest
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite of 'trough'?
A.Canyon
B.Valley
C.Ridge
D.Plateau
Step 5: Mastery
In what real-life context might you come across a trough?
A.At a construction site for drainage purposes
B.In a hospital for patient care
C.At a farm for animal feeding
D.In a laboratory for experiments
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