to trap
550
2.6
- verb
- /træp/
- She set a bait to trap the mouse in the kitchen.
- feel trapped
- get trapped
- become trapped
Loading YouTube…
Watch on YouTubeJust why did they trap that young man like that?
- Just why did they trap that young man like that?
- They're not quite dense enough yet to actually trap light away.
- It's interesting to try to trap this robot in a real quandary.
- Don't let these dark artists really trap you in.
- Advised by the wise Centaur Karon, Hercules trapped it by chasing it into thick snow.
Examples
-
No, it's... it's like we're trapped!
-
We have you trapped, and you cannot escape.
-
We want to trap her.
-
I hear they got him trapped.
-
I'm trapped in-- in this thing!
-
Don't let these dark artists really trap you in.
-
In winter, teenaged boys who should be able to trap and hunt had to rely on their parents.
Academic text (2013) -
Ravi trapped the gorilla inside that bin.
-
Storm struggled to settle into "civilized" life; she felt trapped by the manmade world.
Academic text (2012) -
Severe airway obstruction can cause air to be trapped inside the lungs, preventing the lungs from expanding fully.
Academic text (2012)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To take hold of a moving person or thing to stop it
∞
1.0
To fasten something with a key so other people cannot open it
688
2.8
To catch and take control of someone or something after a chase
525
4.0
Put someone or something in a place where they cannot leave, for example a jail
425
3.9
To keep something inside so it cannot escape by closing or locking
146
2.1
To hold something or someone firmly so they cannot move
88
3.4
Put someone or something somewhere they cannot leave and others cannot reach
28
5.1
To make someone give a clear answer and stop avoiding it
26
3.2
To use something to lure a person, animal or fish into a trap
25
5.8
A situation where you cannot leave an agreement or plan
23
6.0
To stop movement or action
19
5.6
To catch something, often by using a trap or a trick
18
7.2
To catch a person or animal by tricking them so they cannot escape
11
7.7
To trap someone or something, often by a trick when they are in a difficult situation
1
9.9
To catch animals or people with a snare
1
9.9
To catch animals or people with a slip noose trap
1
9.9
To limit someone's freedom or ability to act
1
9.3
To catch something in a net or trap so it cannot move
Antonyms
Phrasal Verbs
Compounds
- Informal
6
4.2
A place that attracts tourists and charges them too much for poor quality things or services
- Specialized
1
6.1
A situation where earning more causes loss of government help and keeps people poor
- Jargon
1
8.9
A route of spots where people set things to catch animals and check them regularly
- Specialized
1
5.7
A hard dark rock formed by volcanoes that people use to build roads and buildings
- Jargon
1
7.9
In American football, an illegal action where a player hits another player from the side or behind
- Jargon
1
7.3
A play that lets a defender pass the start line then blocks them to open a gap for the runner
- Literature
1
7.6
A situation where you pay regular fees without clear permission and cannot easily stop them
- Offensive
A very revealing outfit that draws attention to the wearer's crotch area
- Specialized
A tool with a long flexible wire that clears blockages in drains
A garden or terrace that gets as much sun as possible while being sheltered from cold wind
How Effective
Surface Forms
Etymology
Trap as a verb comes from that old idea of a 'snare', so to trap someone is simply 'to catch' or hold them so they cannot get away.