Trough

Trough
 

May I say that a "trough" is a manger or a crib?

Thanks. :)

No, you can't. (Well you could, but you would be wrong :D). A trough is a vessel for water, usually for drinkng water for domestic animals. By the way, it is pronounced 'troff'. :)


http://uppitywoman08.files.wordpress...pig_trough.jpg

Thanks, :) but... (siempre hay un pero... ;)) the dictionary says that it's for water or for feed :thinking: (abrevadero y pesebre)

Yes. This kind of trough can be used for chicken food:

http://www.coldharbourcottage.co.uk/images/trough.jpg

Whatever it is used for, it is watertight. :)

Is there any synonym for trough?

A trough and a manger are synonyms, but I would choose trough over manger.
I think only people familiar with French, Italian, etc. would choose to use manger. A trough can hold water or food.

I can't really agree that they are good synonyms, even though there is an overlap between the two. A manger is a device for feeding solid food for animals, as a trough can be, but far more often to be made of wood, and not watertight like a trough:

http://home.mindspring.com/~jacobroth/manger.jpg

I'll be asked to give a definition for a few words (from my long list of words :( ), I think a synonym is easier to remember than a definition, so I look for a synonym (or a couple or more) when the definition is too long. "Trough" has a long definition, so I wonder if I'm asked about this word, if I answered "manger, crib" that would be good enough if it's used in some context. I am not able to give all the definitions a word can have; so, one of them will work. :)

The dictionary says that it can be used for food, so I think I'll leave manger (I guess crib is a synonym, too).

But after repeating "trough" several times, I think I already remember what it means. :)

Thanks. :)

Irmamar.
I know that isn't the that you're asking in the thread, but I wanted to telling you that I have the same trouble sometimes with my English's personal list with the definitions, sometimes there're different definitions for a only word, and I know that it could perhaps result sometimes hard, but you know, well just you don't know what I do sometimes, I write a long list the word with severals lines and the lines I write each one of the new means that I find for it.

Then you don't feeling you bad with the trouble it's normal and very common for the pupils of this side of the puddle.:)
Just I only wanted to share my experience with you.
Because when I read your experience yours word make me came back some time before, when I was for first time the language this case is the English language.

Well as I said before, I know that it's not the that you was asking us.

Have a good day.

Dictionaries list them as synonyms, although I totally agree with you. They are different and are not good synonyms. I was only trying to help irmamar find a synonym. Like I told her, though, I would choose trough. Pigs definitely eat from a trough.

Crib is listed as a synonym of manger, and I might use it.

I'm not at all convinced by that. A crib is a baby's cradle. A manger is for animals to feed from. The only reason the words are linked in anyone's mind is the nativity story. I'd side with the author of "Away in a manger, no crib for a bed" - which logically requires them not to be synonyms.

Thanks, Rusty. :)

And thanks, Crotalito, it's the same with some Spanish words, which can have several meanings. But we don't have problems with them, but with the English ones. ;)

Pjt, if a word can be used in some context (I mean not always), that's good enough for me. My teacher wants from me to know what a word means, it doesn't matter if I use the word with a meaning or another, or if I say that it's a verb or a noun (unless he gives us a verb or a phrasal verb). :)

Well, I get what you all say here, but (in answering pjt33) Random House gives "crib 1. a child's bed with enclosed sides. 2. a stall or pen for cattle. 3. a rack or manger for fodder, as in a stable or barn. 4. a bin for storing grain, salt, etc."
And keeps going to give you 23 definitions of the word, and as you can see, "crib" is definitely "manger for fodder". How this came about, that's another story...
Maybe I am missing the background of the reference you mention "Away in a manger, no crib for a bed", but there is also references as this one "The crib or manger in which the Infant Saviour was laid after his birth is properly that place in the stable or khan where food for domestic animals is put [...]
Probably, pjt33, you are totally right if we go "Away in a manger, no crib [definition 1/craddle] for a bed".
(Ie., in Spanish it would be "Lejos en un pesebre, sin cuna por cama"...)
Oxford Superlex gives,
crib 1
n 1 a (child’s bed) (AmE) cuna f
b (Nativity scene) nacimiento m, pesebre m, belén m (Esp)
2 (Agr)
a (manger) pesebre m
b (for storing grain) (AmE) granero m
3 (colloq)
a (for cheating in exam) chuleta f or (Méx) acordeón m or (Col, Per) comprimido m or (RPl) machete m or (Chi) torpedo m (fam)