trimmen - Dutch to English slang

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>>1. (in a brothel scene)
>>Gaby-Recamier heeft geen poen te vluchten
>>tailleur to ouderwets trimmen uitgesloten
>>=
>>Gaby-Recamier has no dosh to flee
>>get-up too oldfashioned[,] impossible *to put out*
>>
>>2. de hoeren vergeten te trimmen
>>zij vluchten enkel
>>alsof men niet beide kan vluchten en trimmen
>>=
>>the whores forget to *solicit*
>>they just flee
>>as if one can't both flee and *solicit*

Are the above starred items merely WAG's, or is there some reason to think
"trimmen" might have these denotations?

In current Dutch, it seems that "trimmen" is routinely used in at least
three ways:

(1) = English "trim" = "adjust/etc." in various technical applications
(boat, radio, video, etc.)
(2) = English "trim" = "cut the hair of" [applied to dog/cat/etc.]
(3) = English "work out"/"get some exercise"

I don't know offhand which (if any) of these were recognizable in 1921
Dutch. I am nearly 100% ignorant of Dutch.

Maybe I can make some inquiries if nobody authoritatively answers the
question soon.

-- Doug Wilson


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