entrench

Entrench is a verb with two broad senses. In a military context, it means to fortify a position by digging trenches and constructing defensive works, often forming a protected line from which to repel attack. The act of entrenching can involve digging, revetting, and creating covered firing positions; a unit that entrench es secures cover, stabilizes its position, and constrains an attacker’s options. The term can describe both the process and the resulting fortified position.

In a figurative sense, entrench can describe making a position or policy firmly established and resistant to change. In politics and law, entrenchment refers to provisions that are protected against easy amendment, typically requiring a higher legislative threshold, a referendum, or other specialized procedures. Entrenched rights or rules aim to prevent erosion by ordinary majorities, but they can also reduce democratic flexibility or hinder reform.

The word derives from the image of soldiers digging trenches, and its figurative use extends to any effort to secure and stabilize a position, institution, or advantage. Related concepts include fortification, defense, and constitutional entrenchment.