partly diving partly dictionary question

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mania

Cousin Itt
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Can somebody tell me why in English horizontal diver's position is called "trim". I searched all dictionaries I have for the meaning of this word and the closest one I found is about the trim of the boat. Can somebody provide me a clear definition of the word "trim" in the diving sense as well as - and this is the dictionary part - where does this word come from?
So why trim is called trim????
Mania
 
3 a : to make trim and neat especially by cutting or clipping <trim the hedges> b : to free of excess or extraneous matter by or as if by cutting <trim a budget> <trim down the inventory> c : to remove by or as if by cutting <trimmed thousands from federal payrolls -- Grit>


4 a (1) : to cause (as a ship) to assume a desirable position in the water by arrangement of ballast, cargo, or passengers (2) : to adjust (as an airplane or submarine) for horizontal movement or for motion upward or downward b : to adjust (as cargo or a sail) to a desired position
 
Derek S:
3 a : to make trim and neat especially by cutting or clipping <trim the hedges> b : to free of excess or extraneous matter by or as if by cutting <trim a budget> <trim down the inventory> c : to remove by or as if by cutting <trimmed thousands from federal payrolls -- Grit>


4 a (1) : to cause (as a ship) to assume a desirable position in the water by arrangement of ballast, cargo, or passengers (2) : to adjust (as an airplane or submarine) for horizontal movement or for motion upward or downward b : to adjust (as cargo or a sail) to a desired position


Thats what trim means to me as well. By reading those definitions you can clearly see how it applies to diving and how good trim is conducive to a good diving experience.
 
mania:
Can somebody tell me why in English horizontal diver's position is called "trim". I searched all dictionaries I have for the meaning of this word and the closest one I found is about the trim of the boat. Can somebody provide me a clear definition of the word "trim" in the diving sense as well as - and this is the dictionary part - where does this word come from?
So why trim is called trim????
Mania


This is from Websters 1828 dictionary. The last entry seems to apply the best to the use of the word as it relates to diving.

TRIM, a. Firm; compact; tight; snug; being in good order. We say of a ship, she is trim, or trim-built; every thing about the man is trim. We say of a person, he is trim, when his body is well shaped and firm; and we say, his dress is trim, when it sits closely to his body and appears tight and snug; and of posture we say, a man or a soldier is trim, when he stands erect. It is particularly applicable to soldiers, and in Saxon, truma is a troop or body of soldiers.

TRIM, v.t.
1. In a general sense, to make right, that is, to put in due order for any purpose.
The hermit trimm'd his little fire.
2. To dress; to put the body in a proper state.
I was trimm'd in Julia's gown.
3. To decorate; to invest or embellish with extra ornaments; as, to trim a gown with lace.
4. To clip, as the hair of the head; also, to shave; that is, to put in due order.
5. To lop, as superfluous branches; to prune; as, to trim trees.
6. To supply with oil; as, to trim a lamp.
7. To make neat; to adjust.
I found her trimming up the diadem
On her dead mistress--
8. In carpentry, to dress, as timber; to make smooth.
9. To adjust the cargo of a ship, or the weight of persons or goods in a boat, so equally on each side of the center and at each end, that she shall sit well on the water and sail well. Thus we say, to trim a ship or a boat.
10. To rebuke; to reprove sharply; a popular use of the word.
11. To arrange in due order for sailing; as, to trim the sails.

To trim in, in carpentry, to fit, as a piece of timber into other work.

To trip up, to dress; to put in order.

TRIM, v.i. To balance; to fluctuate between parties, so as to appear to favor each.

TRIM, n. Dress; gear; ornaments.
1. The state of a ship or her cargo, ballast, masts, &c., by which she is well prepared for sailing.

Trim of the masts, is their position in regard to the ship and to each other, as near or distant,far forward or much aft, erect or raking.

Trim of sails, is that position and arrangement which is best adapted to impel the ship forward
 
All this I found already. But thanks guys. Still what are the roots of calling diver's horizontal position "trim"? Surely not "to decorate" right? Niether to have something in order. So does it come from the boat trim? Or something else?
When I googled the word "trim" there were even more meanings but still can't easily figure out why it's used in diving.
Mania
PS. And i do agree that keeping the right trim is better diving :D
 
Derek S:
4 a (1) : to cause (as a ship) to assume a desirable position in the water by arrangement of ballast, cargo, or passengers (2) : to adjust (as an airplane or submarine) for horizontal movement or for motion upward or downward b : to adjust (as cargo or a sail) to a desired position

Given this definition Mania, I'm not sure what it is that you don't understand. If you are trimmed, you've made adjustments to your ballast so that you are in the desired position.
 
I'm not positive, but it could be an AG term. AG was instrumental in developing this course. I also believe AG was a flight instructor at one time. He has mentioned a connection in the way he teaches. How's that for a possibility?

mania:
All this I found already. But thanks guys. Still what are the roots of calling diver's horizontal position "trim"? Surely not "to decorate" right? Niether to have something in order. So does it come from the boat trim? Or something else?
When I googled the word "trim" there were even more meanings but still can't easily figure out why it's used in diving.
Mania
PS. And i do agree that keeping the right trim is better diving :D
 
I've heard it in airplane terms. A plane's trim is its horizontal attitude in the air, according to the old flight simulator games I've played on my computer :)
 
I have heard it in sailing and other water going vessels terms - boats as described above, sails are trimmed so that the air flow is optimum over them, not too tight, not too loose which offers the best profile to catch the wind and get you moving. Same principle with these other definitions, you are offering the optimum profile as you move through the water, which makes you more streamlined than being untrimmed. Not sure who or why it was coined as a phrase in diving, but it seems to fit.
 
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