trap
A tool or place used to catch an animal, person, or thing and stop it from getting away.
A device, structure, or enclosed space designed to catch and hold an animal, person, or object so that it cannot escape.
A bad situation or place that is hard to get out of and often makes someone lose money, time, or safety.
A situation, arrangement, or place that is likely to catch someone, take advantage of them, or make it hard for them to escape, succeed, or stay safe.
To catch someone or something and stop them from leaving or getting away.
To catch a person, animal, or object and prevent them from getting away, especially by using a trap, closing them in a space, or blocking all exits.
To make someone do or say something they do not really want to do, by tricking them or giving them no real choice.
To cause someone to do or say something by putting them in a situation where they cannot easily refuse, avoid it, or see the risks, often in a way that is unfair or deliberate.
To keep heat, air, water, or another thing in one place so it cannot get out.
To hold heat, air, liquid, gas, or another substance so that it cannot easily escape from a place or material.
A rude or joking word for a person’s mouth when they are speaking.
Someone’s mouth, especially when it is talking, referred to in a rude, humorous, or annoyed way.
A kind of hip-hop music with strong bass and drums and lyrics that often talk about life on the street and selling drugs.
A style of hip-hop music that uses heavy bass, fast hi-hats, and dark or aggressive sounds, often with lyrics about street life and drug dealing.
A house or room where people keep, sell, or use illegal drugs.
A place, especially a house or apartment, where illegal drugs are stored, sold, or used, often associated with dangerous or poor living conditions.
In basketball, a way of defending where two players quickly go to the player with the ball to stop them and make them lose the ball.
In basketball, a defensive tactic where two or more players quickly surround the player with the ball to limit their movement and force a turnover or bad pass.
A rude, insulting word used online for a transgender woman or a man who looks very feminine, as if that person is trying to trick others. This word is considered a slur and should not be used.
A highly offensive slang term for a person, especially a transgender woman or a man who dresses in a feminine way, who is wrongly seen as tricking others about their gender or sex.
- Base: trap
- Plural: traps
- Base: trap
- 3rd Person Singular: traps
- Present Participle: trapping
- Past: trapped
- Irregular present participle: trapping Verb
- Irregular past: trapped Verb
booby trap
1hidden device that harms intruders
A hidden device or setup that will hurt or kill someone when they touch or move something, often used in war or crime.
- The soldiers found a booby trap under the doorway.
- The box was wired with a booby trap that exploded when it was opened.
death trap
1very unsafe place or thing
A place, vehicle, or building that is very unsafe and could easily cause someone to die.
- That old factory is a death trap with no fire exits.
- He refuses to ride in that car; he says it’s a death trap.
fall into a trap
1be caught by a trick
To be caught or harmed by a trick or difficult situation because you did not see the danger in time.
- Many new investors fall into the trap of chasing quick profits.
- He fell into their trap and revealed information he should have kept secret.
full-court trap
1basketball defense over whole court
In basketball, a way of defending where players try to trap the player with the ball over the whole court, not just near the basket.
- The coach called for a full-court trap to create quick turnovers.
- Their full-court trap tired the other team and led to easy baskets.
it’s a trap
1warning about a trick
Used to warn someone that a situation is not safe or honest and is designed to catch or trick them.
- Don’t click that link; it’s a trap.
- When he offered to help for free, she felt it was a trap.
lay a trap
1create a plan to catch someone
To create a secret plan or situation that will catch or hurt someone later.
- Detectives laid a trap for the blackmailer.
- They suspected their rivals had laid a trap for them at the meeting.
set a trap
1prepare something to catch later
To prepare a device or a situation that will catch or trick someone or something later.
- The police set a trap for the gang using an undercover officer.
- We set a trap in the basement to catch the mice.
shut your trap
1tell someone to be quiet rudely
To tell someone in a rude or angry way to stop talking.
- Why don’t you just shut your trap and listen for a change?
- He told his brother to shut his trap during the movie.
speed trap
1hidden police speed check
A place on a road where police wait and check how fast cars are going so they can stop drivers who are driving too fast.
- There’s a speed trap just after the bend, so slow down.
- Drivers complained that the new speed trap was only there to make money.
trap door
1door in a floor or ceiling
A door in a floor, ceiling, or hidden place that opens to a space below or above.
- They escaped through a trap door in the stage floor.
- The old house even had a trap door leading to a secret cellar.
trap house
1house where drugs are sold
A house or apartment where people keep, sell, or use illegal drugs.
- He grew up next to a trap house on the corner.
- Many rap lyrics describe life inside the trap house.
trap in
1keep someone or something inside
To keep someone or something inside a place or situation so that they cannot get out.
- The fire trapped in the hallway made it impossible to reach the exit.
- High walls trap in the heat during the summer.
trap music
1hip-hop style called trap
Hip-hop music in the style called trap, with strong bass and fast drums.
- He started his career making trap music in his bedroom.
- Trap music has influenced a lot of pop songs in recent years.
trapped in
1unable to leave place or situation
Used to say that someone or something cannot get out of a place or situation.
- Residents were trapped in their homes by the rising water.
- She felt trapped in a job she didn’t enjoy.
walk into a trap
1unknowingly enter harmful situation
To go into a situation that will harm you, without seeing the danger until it is too late.
- By answering the question, he walked straight into a trap.
- She realized too late that she had walked into a financial trap.
poverty trap
1Cycle keeping people poor
A situation where people stay poor because they cannot earn enough to improve their lives.
- High childcare costs can create a poverty trap for single parents.
- The program aims to break the poverty trap.
- Many development programs try to help families escape the poverty trap.
thirst trap
1sexy post to get attention
A photo or social media post that is made to look very attractive in order to get a lot of sexual or romantic attention from other people.
- He posted a shirtless thirst trap on Instagram after his workout.
- She joked that her beach selfie was just a thirst trap.
thirst trap
2Post made to get attention online
A photo or message shared online to make people notice you in a sexual way.
- She posted a selfie as a thirst trap.
- That shirtless photo was clearly a thirst trap.
tourist trap
1Overpriced tourist spot
A place that attracts tourists but charges too much or is not worth visiting.
- That restaurant is a tourist trap – the food is bad and expensive.
- Avoid tourist traps if you want an authentic experience.
tourist trap
2place that overcharges tourists
A place that is popular with tourists but takes too much money for poor or average food, goods, or services.
- That restaurant by the station is a total tourist trap.
- Locals avoid the tourist traps near the main square.