Link Centre Dictionary

trap

UK/tɹæp/ US/t̠ɹ̠̊˔æp/ common informal slang us
noun (8) verb (4)

noun

1.

a device in which something (usually an animal) can be caught and penned

2.

drain consisting of a U-shaped section of drainpipe that holds liquid and so prevents a return flow of sewer gas

3.

something (often something deceptively attractive) that catches you unawares

  • “the exam was full of trap questions”
  • “it was all a snare and delusion”
Synonyms
4.

a device to hurl clay pigeons into the air for trapshooters

5.

the act of concealing yourself and lying in wait to attack by surprise

Synonyms
6.
7.
8.

verb

1.

place in a confining or embarrassing position

  • “He was trapped in a difficult situation”
2.

catch in or as if in a trap

  • “The men trap foxes”
Synonyms
3.

hold or catch as if in a trap

  • “The gaps between the teeth trap food particles”
4.

to hold fast or prevent from moving

  • “The child was pinned under the fallen tree”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English trappe, from Old English træppe, treppe (“trap, snare”) (also in betræppan (“to trap”)) from Proto-West Germanic *trappjā (“trap, snare”), from Proto-West Germanic *trappjan (“to step”), from Proto-Germanic *trapjaną (“to tread, stamp”), from Proto-Indo-European *drebʰ- (“to step, trip, trample”). Cognate with Dutch trap (“step, stair”), German Low German Trapp (“step, stair”). Akin also to West Frisian traap (“stepping, treading, stairway”), German Treppe (“step, stair”), Old English træppan (“to step, tread”). Connection to "step" is "that upon which one steps". French trappe and Spanish trampa are ultimately borrowings from Germanic.

Phrases

  • adhesive trap
  • around the traps
  • belly trap
  • debt trap diplomacy
  • dividend trap
  • dividend value trap
  • fall into a trap
  • flowline trap
  • trap and trace
  • trap in
  • TRAP law
  • trap out

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

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Parts

Part of

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.