Adjacent Words

Trepan definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

TREPAN', n. [L. tero, terebra, on the root Rp.] In surgery, a circular saw for perforating the skull. It resembles a wimble.
TREPAN', v.t. To perforate the skull and take out a piece; a surgical operation for relieving the brain from pressure or irritation.
Trepan, a snare, and trepan, to ensnare, are from trap, and written trepan, which see.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a surgical instrument used to remove sections of bone from the skull [syn: trepan, trephine]
2: a drill for cutting circular holes around a center v
1: cut a hole with a trepan, as in surgery

Merriam Webster's

I. transitive verb (trepanned; trepanning) Etymology: Middle English, from trepane trephine Date: 15th century 1. to use a trephine on (the skull) 2. to remove a disk or cylindrical core (as from metal for testing) • trepanation noun II. noun Etymology: Middle English trepane trephine, Anglo-French trepan, from Medieval Latin trepanum, from Greek trypanon auger, from trypan to bore Date: circa 1877 a heavy tool used in boring mine shafts III. noun Etymology: origin unknown Date: 1641 1. archaic trickster 2. archaic a deceptive device ; snare IV. transitive verb (trepanned; trepanning) Date: circa 1656 archaic entrap, lure

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a cylindrical saw formerly used by surgeons for removing part of the bone of the skull. 2 a borer for sinking shafts. --v.tr. (trepanned, trepanning) perforate (the skull) with a trepan. Derivatives: trepanation n. trepanning n. Etymology: ME f. med.L trepanum f. Gk trupanon f. trupao bore f. trupe hole

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Trepan Tre*pan", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Trepanned; p. pr. & vb. n. Trepanning.] [Cf. F. tr['e]paner. See Trepan a saw.] (Surg.) To perforate (the skull) with a trepan, so as to remove a portion of the bone, and thus relieve the brain from pressure or irritation; to perform an operation with the trepan.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Trepan Tre*pan", n. [See Trapan.] 1. A snare; a trapan. Snares and trepans that common life lays in its way. --South. 2. a deceiver; a cheat. He had been from the beginning a spy and a trepan. --Macaulay.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Trepan Tre*pan", n. [F. tr['e]pan (cf. Sp. tr['e]pano, It. trepano, trapano), LL. trepanum, fr. Gr. ? a borer, auger, trepan, fr. ? to bore, ? a hole. Cf. Trephine.] 1. (Surg.) A crown-saw or cylindrical saw for perforating the skull, turned, when used, like a bit or gimlet. See Trephine. 2. (Mining) A kind of broad chisel for sinking shafts.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Trepan Tre*pan", v. t. To insnare; to trap; to trapan. Guards even of a dozen men were silently trepanned from their stations. --De Quincey.

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Trephine. 2. Ensnare, trap, entrap, trapan. II. n. See trapan.