1 B2 neutral
To bind a person tightly with rope or cord so they cannot move.
"The robbers trussed up the security guard and left him in the back room."
separable
truss up
B2 neutral separable transitive
To tie or bind someone or something tightly, securing their limbs so they cannot move; also used in cooking for securing poultry before roasting.
In plain English
To tie someone up so they can't move, or to tie the legs and wings of a bird before cooking it.
What does "truss up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 neutral
In cooking: to tie the legs and wings of a bird close to its body before roasting, so it keeps its shape.
"Truss up the chicken with kitchen twine before putting it in the oven."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To tie up tightly with ropes or string.
Actually means
To tie someone up so they can't move, or to tie the legs and wings of a bird before cooking it.
Usage tip
Has two distinct uses: (1) binding a person (often in crime, adventure, or military contexts) and (2) tying poultry for cooking. The cooking sense is very common in recipe contexts. Both senses involve tight binding for a purpose.
Words that pair with "truss up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
chicken turkey prisoner hostage rope twine
How to conjugate "truss up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
truss up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
trusses up
he/she/it
Past simple
trussed up
yesterday
Past participle
trussed up
have + pp
-ing form
trussing up
continuous
Hear "truss up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "truss up"
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