truss up
B2 neutral separable transitive
In simple words
To tie someone up so they can't move, or to tie the legs and wings of a bird before cooking it.
Literal meaning: To tie up tightly with ropes or string.
Meanings
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."
Grammar: separable
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."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
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.
Commonly used with
chicken turkey prisoner hostage rope twine
Forms
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
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Synonyms
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