trap

A2 Topic:Tools, Machines & Construction

US /tɹæp/ UK [t̠ɹ̠̊˔ap] See IPA manual

Freq #2097

Meanings

1

noun
A device made to catch animals.

I set a trap to catch the mouse in the kitchen.
2

noun
A trick or plan made to catch or deceive someone.

The police set a trap to catch the thief.
3

verb
To catch and hold someone or something so they cannot escape.

The miners were trapped underground for two days.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a device made to catch... snare

2 noun · a trick or plan made to... snare

3 verb · to catch and hold someone... ensnare entrap snare

Word family

Forms trappedtrappertrappingtraps

Derived forms betraphash-traplive-traptrap-poptrapdoor

Related forms entrapentrapment

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

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”). 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 tr…

trappe Middle English træppe Old English *trappjā Proto-West Germanic *trappjan Proto-West Germanic *trapjaną Proto-Germanic *drebʰ- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Tools, Machines & Construction

External links

# trap

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /tɹæp/
**IPA (UK):** [t̠ɹ̠̊˔ap]
**Frequency rank:** 2097

## Meanings
1. A device made to catch animals.
2. A trick or plan made to catch or deceive someone.
3. To catch and hold someone or something so they cannot escape.

## Examples
- I set a trap to catch the mouse in the kitchen.
- The police set a trap to catch the thief.
- The miners were trapped underground for two days.

## Derived Forms
- betrap
- hash-trap
- live-trap
- trap-pop
- trapdoor

## Related Forms
- entrap
- entrapment

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: trappe
- Root: træppe
- Root: *trappjā
- Root: *trappjan
- Root: *trapjaną
- Root: *drebʰ-

## 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”). 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 tr…

## AI Etymology
Trap is 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".

## Topics
- Tools, Machines & Construction

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