trough

trough — noun

1. an open, long container that holds food or water for farm animals such as pigs,

1.nounB1
Definition

an open, long container that holds food or water for farm animals such as pigs, horses, or cows.

Example

Ari filled the trough with fresh hay for the hungry goats.

collocation: fill the trough

The farmer scrubbed the water trough and poured clean water into it.

collocation: water trough

Common collocations
  • fill the trough
  • empty the trough
  • water trough
  • feeding trough
  • wooden trough
  • metal trough
Synonyms
  • manger

    specifically a trough for horses or cattle to eat from, often with a frame for holding hay

  • feeder

    a general term for any container that supplies food to animals, often automatic or designed for poultry

  • basin

    a round, wide container for liquids, usually smaller and less elongated than a trough

Grammar Patterns

a/the + trough

Common Mistakes

The dog ate from a trough on the kitchen floor.
The dog ate from a bowl on the kitchen floor.
'trough' is used for farm animals, not house pets.

2. the lowest point in a repeated pattern of rises and falls, especially when talki

2.nounB2
Definition

the lowest point in a repeated pattern of rises and falls, especially when talking about commerce and finance.

Example

The housing market reached its trough in 2023 before prices began to climb again.

collocation: reach a trough

Rania noted that the economy was at the trough of the business cycle and expected growth soon.

collocation: trough of the business cycle

Common collocations
  • reach a trough
  • hit a trough
  • trough of the cycle
  • economic trough
  • peak and trough
Synonyms
  • low point

    a more general term for any situation, not limited to economics

  • nadir

    very formal and literary; means the absolute lowest point

  • bottom

    informal and commonly used in financial contexts ('the market hit bottom')

Antonyms
  • peak

    the highest point in the cycle

Grammar Patterns

a/the + trough

reach a trough

trough of the cycle

Usage Note

Frequently contrasted with 'peak': the peak is the highest point, and the trough is the lowest point in a cycle.

3. an extended region in the atmosphere where air pressure is lower than the air ar

3.nounB2
Definition

an extended region in the atmosphere where air pressure is lower than the air around it, typically bringing cloud cover and rain.

Example

A trough of low pressure moved across the island, bringing heavy rain all day.

collocation: trough of low pressure

Élise checked the weather map and saw a trough forming off the coast.

Common collocations
  • trough of low pressure
  • deep trough
  • weather trough
  • upper-level trough
Synonyms
  • low-pressure system

    a broader term that includes troughs and more circular low-pressure areas like cyclones

Antonyms
  • ridge

    an elongated area of high pressure, the opposite of a trough

Grammar Patterns

a + trough + of + [low pressure]

Usage Note

In weather reports, 'trough' is contrasted with 'ridge' (an area of high pressure). Commonly used with 'of low pressure'.

4. a low and narrow stretch of land or water between two higher areas, such as the

4.nounB2
Definition

a low and narrow stretch of land or water between two higher areas, such as the space between two ocean waves or two hills.

Example

The boat dropped into a deep trough between two huge waves.

collocation: trough between waves

Camila walked through the grassy trough that lay between the two low hills.

Common collocations
  • trough between waves
  • wave trough
  • crest and trough
  • trough of the sea
Synonyms
  • depression

    a general term for any sunken area; less specific than 'trough'

  • hollow

    a small low area in the ground, often rounder and less elongated

Antonyms
  • crest

    the top of a wave

  • ridge

    the top of a hill or mountain range

Grammar Patterns

a/the + trough

trough between + [waves/hills]

Usage Note

Used for both ocean waves and land features. With waves, the opposite is 'crest'; with hills, the opposite may be 'ridge' or 'hilltop'.

Idioms

have one's nose in the trough

idiom

to be aggressively trying to get as much money or power as possible, often in a selfish or greedy way.

The politicians had their noses in the trough, taking bonuses while the public suffered.

get/have your nose/snout in the trough

idiom

This means someone is trying to get as much money or advantage as possible for themselves, often in a greedy way.

The politicians had their noses in the trough, taking bribes from companies.

Why do these executives always have their snouts in the trough during a crisis?

trough — verb

Word family

  • trough-like
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Trough', 'manger', 'feeder', and 'basin' all refer to containers used for animals, but they differ in shape and specific usage. 'Trough' is the most general word — a long, narrow, open container for food or water, typically for farm animals such as pigs, horses, or cattle. 'Manger' is more specific: it is a trough with a rack or frame above it, designed to hold hay for horses or cattle, and it carries strong associations with the Christmas nativity story. 'Feeder' is a broader term for any device that supplies food, often used for poultry or automatic feeding systems (a chicken feeder, for example). 'Basin' is round and wider than it is long, used mainly for water or liquid feed; it is more commonly associated with household use. For everyday reference to a farm animal's food container, 'trough' is the right word. For a Christmas nativity scene, 'manger' is the correct choice.

trough ↗mangerfeederbasin ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • trough of the cycle
  • peak and trough
  • crest and trough
  • trough of low pressure

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishGermanicDutchGermanEnglish

The word 'trough' comes from Old English 'trog', meaning a wooden vessel or hollowed-out container for food or liquids. It is related to Dutch 'trog' and German 'Trog', all from the same ancient Germanic root. The original meaning of a long container for animal feed has been in use for over a thousand years. The modern figurative senses — a low point in a business cycle (19th century) and an area of low atmospheric pressure (20th century) — draw on the image of a dip or hollow shape.