trough

Universal Words noun 1 [C] a long narrow open container for animals to eat or drink from: a water trough 2 (the trough) [sing.] (informal) if you say that people have their noses in the trough, you mean that they are trying to get a lot of money for themselves 3 [C] (technical) a long narrow region of low air pressure between two regions of higher pressure compareRIDGE 4 [C] a period of time when the level of sth is low, especially a time when a business or the economy is not growing: There have been peaks and troughs in the long-term trend of unemployment. 5 [C] a low area between two waves in the sea, or two hills