trip

views updated May 17 2018

trip / trip/ • v. (tripped, trip·ping) 1. [intr.] catch one's foot on something and stumble or fall: he tripped over his cat she tripped up during the penultimate lap. ∎  [tr.] cause (someone) to do this: she shot out her foot to trip him up. ∎  (trip up) make a mistake: taxpayers often trip up by not declaring taxable income. ∎  [tr.] (trip someone up) detect or expose someone in an error, blunder, or inconsistency: the man was determined to trip him up on his economics.2. [intr.] walk, run, or dance with quick light steps: they tripped up the terrace steps. ∎  (of words) flow lightly and easily: a name that trips off the tongue the guest list tripped from her lips.3. [tr.] activate (a mechanism), esp. by contact with a switch, catch, or other electrical device: an intruder trips the alarm. ∎  [intr.] (of part of an electric circuit) disconnect automatically as a safety measure: the plugs will trip as soon as any change in current is detected.4. [tr.] Naut. release and raise (an anchor) from the seabed by means of a buoyed line attached to the anchor’s crown. ∎  turn (a yard or other object) from a horizontal to a vertical position for lowering.5. [intr.] inf. experience hallucinations induced by taking a psychedelic drug, esp. LSD: they prance around tripping out on their hallucinogens.6. [intr.] go on a short journey: when tripping through the Yukon, take some time to explore our museums.• n. 1. a journey or excursion, esp. for pleasure: Sally's gone on a school trip a trip to the North Pole. ∎  an act of going to a place and returning: a quick trip to the store.2. a stumble or fall due to catching one's foot on something. ∎ archaic a mistake: an occasional trip in the performance.3. inf. a hallucinatory experience caused by taking a psychedelic drug, esp. LSD: acid trips. ∎  an exciting or stimulating experience: it was a trip seeing him again. ∎  a self-indulgent attitude or activity: politics was a sixties trip.4. a device that activates or disconnects a mechanism, circuit, etc. ∎  an instance of a device deactivating or the power supply disconnecting as a safety measure.5. archaic a light, lively movement of a person's feet: yonder comes Dalinda; I know her by her trip.PHRASES: trip the light fantastic humorous dance, in particular engage in ballroom dancing.ORIGIN: Middle English: from Old French triper, from Middle Dutch trippen ‘to skip, hop.’

trip

views updated May 23 2018

trip
A. tread or step lightly XIV;

B. cause to stumble by striking the foot (feet) from under the body; make a false step xV;

C. (naut.) †tack XVII; raise (an anchor) clear from the bottom XVIII. — OF. treper, trip(p)er — MDu. trippen skip, hop, rel. to OE. treppan tread, trample.
Hence sb. A. act of tripping XV; B. light movement with the feet XVI; short journey XVII. tripper (-ER1) one who trips XIV; excursionist XIX.

Trip

views updated May 29 2018

Trip

a flock or troop; a brood or litter.

Examples : trip of dotterel, 1805; of wild ducks, 1893; of wild fowl, 1859; of goats, 1470; of hares, 1470; of hippies; of lambs, 1470; of sheep, 1584; of stoats; of tame swine, 1410; of widgeon, 1826.

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