trough
B2Neutral; more common in technical (economic, meteorological) and agricultural contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A long, narrow, open container, typically for holding food for animals or for holding water.
A low point or depression in a cycle, wave, or dataset; a period of economic or personal difficulty; a long, narrow area of low atmospheric pressure in meteorology; an elongated open container for various industrial/agricultural uses.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word functions as a concrete noun (container), a metaphorical noun (low point), and a meteorological noun (pressure region). The metaphorical use is dominant in business/media contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling identical. The agricultural container meaning is equally understood but may be slightly more prevalent in BrE due to historical rural contexts. The metaphorical 'low point' meaning is standard in both.
Connotations
No significant connotative differences.
Frequency
Similar overall frequency, with the metaphorical 'economic trough' being equally common in financial journalism.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [N] is in a trough.[V] the trough (e.g., hit, reach, bottom out in).A trough of [N] (e.g., a trough of low pressure, a trough of despair).Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “peak and trough (cycle)”
- “feed at the public trough (US: to live off government funds)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to the lowest point in a business or economic cycle. 'The company's profits hit a trough in the third quarter.'
Academic
Used in economics, meteorology, physics (wave patterns), and agricultural studies.
Everyday
Primarily understood as an animal feeder or a low point. 'The pigs ate from the trough.' 'He's going through a trough in his career.'
Technical
In meteorology: an elongated area of low pressure. In physics: the lowest point of a wave.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The farmer filled the trough with water for the cows.
- There is a wooden trough in the garden.
- After the peak of success, the company faced a trough in sales.
- The graph shows a clear peak and trough.
- Investors are waiting for the market to bottom out before buying, hoping the trough has been reached.
- A deep trough of low pressure is moving in from the Atlantic, bringing stormy weather.
- The economy cycled through a series of peaks and troughs, with the most severe trough precipitating a banking crisis.
- The wave's amplitude was measured from the crest to the adjacent trough.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a ROUGH path leading down to a TROUGH of water for animals. Both the path and the water level are low.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE/ECONOMY IS A WAVEFORM (with peaks and troughs).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'корыто' (a washtub) unless context is explicitly agricultural/container-based. The metaphorical meaning is better translated as 'низшая точка', 'спад', 'депрессия'. 'Жёлоб' is a closer technical term for a channel.
Common Mistakes
- Spelling: confusion with 'through' or 'tough'. Pronunciation: mispronouncing the '-ough' as /θruː/ (like 'through') or /tʌf/ (like 'tough'). Correct is /trɒf/ or /trɔːf/.
Practice
Quiz
In meteorology, a 'trough' refers to:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In British English, it's /trɒf/ (like 'troff'). In American English, it's /trɔːf/ (like 'trawf'). It rhymes with 'off'.
A trough is the single lowest point in a cycle. A recession is a prolonged period of economic decline, which contains a trough at its lowest moment.
No, 'trough' is almost exclusively a noun in modern English. The related action for animals is 'to feed from a trough'.
Literally, yes (e.g., a salad bar might have a serving trough). Metaphorically, yes (e.g., 'a trough of despair'). The idiom 'feed at the public trough' is used (especially in US politics) to describe exploiting government funds.
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