trap
Forms
- Plural
- traps
- present (v1)
- trap
- past (v2)
- trapped
- past participle (v3)
- trapped
- present participle
- trapping
- 3rd person singular
- traps
Definitions
1.A machine or other device designed to catch (and sometimes kill) animals, either by holding them in a container, or by catching hold of part of the body.
- I put down some traps in my apartment to try and deal with the mouse problem.
2.A trick or arrangement designed to catch someone in a more general sense; a snare.
- One way to spot a trap is to look for an adam's apple.
- Of course Kei would look like a young woman, that's how traps work!
- Unfortunately she fell into the trap of confusing biology with destiny.
3.An exception generated by the processor or by an external event.
4.Any device used to hold and suddenly release an object.
- There is likewise a cabin trap with five steps.
- Had climbed up the trap-stair, and was busy potterin' aboot.
- They shot out of the school gates like greyhounds out of the trap.
1.To ensnare; to take by stratagem; to entrap.
- Be careful not to trap your finger in the door.
2.To physically capture, to catch in a trap or traps, or something like a trap.
3.To provide with a trap.
4.To set traps for game; to make a business of trapping game; to travel for the purpose of trapping.
- They trapped north along the river.
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #3560
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
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”).