To truss means to tie something up tightly and securely, usually with rope or string. When a chef trusses a chicken before roasting it, they bind the legs and wings close to the body so it cooks evenly and keeps its shape. You might truss a package with twine to make sure nothing falls out during shipping.

In construction, a truss (as a noun) is a framework of beams arranged in triangles to support a roof or bridge. These structures work because triangles are incredibly strong shapes: the connected pieces support each other and can hold tremendous weight. The beams in a truss are joined together to create something much stronger than any single beam could be alone.

You might also hear truss used when someone is tied up and can't move: a captured spy might be found trussed up in a locked room. The word always suggests tight, deliberate binding that keeps something firmly in place.