trap

«trap» in Mova's school dictionary: a device for catching animals, such as a mousetrap — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

noun (a trap, traps); verb (trap, traps, trapped, trapping)

meaning for a pupil

1) A trap is a device for catching animals, such as a mousetrap. tree →

2) A trap is a clever plan to catch or trick someone. tree →

3) To trap someone or something is to catch it or keep it somewhere it cannot get out of. tree →

4) A trap in a question or puzzle is a part that tricks you into a wrong answer. tree →

sense in the lessons

In stories a trap builds tension: someone may be caught, or a clever hero escapes. In safety lessons people can be trapped by fire, water or a locked space, so you learn exits and to call for help. In maths, a "trap question" hides a detail that changes the answer. Phrases: set a trap, fall into a trap, be trapped, a speed trap, trap heat.

examples

• The farmer set a trap for the rat in the barn. tree →
• The cat was trapped in the shed all night. tree →
• Don't fall into the trap of rushing the last question. tree →
• The firefighters rescued a family trapped on the top floor. tree →
• A greenhouse traps heat from the sun. tree →
• That riddle has a trap: read it twice. tree →
• The police set a trap to catch the thief. tree →
• Then he laid traps for the wicked animal. tree →

note

Past form trapped, with double p. "Trapped" can mean caught by something (trapped under a branch) or unable to leave (trapped in a lift). Never try to free a wild animal from a trap yourself; tell an adult. In maths a trap usually means an extra or misleading number you should not use.

In the corpora

• Free prizes that want your password are traps."
• Wetlands soak up flood water like giant sponges and let it out slowly, and reed roots trap mud and clean the water.
• Web spiders feel vibrations so well they can tell a trapped insect from a leaf or a raindrop.
• In experiments, rats opened a cage to free another trapped rat, even when they could have eaten chocolate instead.
• Mice prefer grains, seeds and sweet foods to cheese, so peanut butter works better in humane traps.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «trap» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.