From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishthe trenchesthe trenchesthe place or situation where most of the work or action in an activity takes place Lane left teaching after 30 years in the trenches. → trench
Examples from the Corpus
the trenches• But down in the trenches, the hegemon's slip is showing.• This was transmitted by fleas from the rats that flourished in the trenches to man.• But we in the trenches just never see the end product.• He and I and Evander were in the trenches together when life seemed simpler.• Those same nice folks get awful upset when somebody goes out and jumps into the trenches and tries to make it work.• When the shelling and mortaring ceased, Taff and I got out of the trenches.• Some men protested, saying it was Christmas, others refused point blank to return to the trenches.• Of course, no one else except feminists and women returned to the trenches and put under siege noticed what was happening. 