Trip
/trɪp/
Definitions
5 meaningsTo lose one's balance and fall or nearly fall.
/trɪp/
To stumble or lose one's balance.
She tripped on the uneven pavement.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're walking and your foot catches on something hidden! That's tripping. Like when you go on a skateboard, and hit a rock, that causes you to fall.
👶 For kids: To fall down or almost fall down.
More Examples
He almost tripped while running, but managed to catch himself.
How It's Used
"He tripped over the rug."
"The runner tripped at the finish line."
To move with light, quick steps.
/trɪp/
To move lightly and quickly.
The dancers tripped across the stage.
💡 Simply: When a ballerina dances, she trips across the stage gracefully and swiftly. It's like moving on tiptoes, quick and easy.
👶 For kids: To move your feet quickly like dancing or skipping.
More Examples
The children tripped through the meadow, laughing.
How It's Used
"The deer tripped through the forest."
To cause a mechanism (such as a switch or circuit breaker) to activate or shut down.
/trɪp/
To activate a mechanism.
The circuit breaker tripped due to the overload.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're playing a game and you hit the right spot on a toy that sets off a reaction; that's tripping a mechanism. Like how electrical wires in your home can trip the electricity, and shut down a circuit.
👶 For kids: To cause something to start or stop working.
More Examples
The sensor was designed to trip the alarm if anything moved.
How It's Used
"The alarm was designed to trip if anyone entered the building."
A journey or excursion, especially for pleasure.
/trɪp/
A journey or excursion.
We are going on a weekend trip to the mountains.
💡 Simply: Going somewhere fun, like a vacation or even just a visit, is a trip! When you go on a road trip with your family.
👶 For kids: Going somewhere for fun!
More Examples
The school organized a field trip to the museum.
How It's Used
"They planned a trip to Europe."
"A day trip to the beach is all I need."
An act of stumbling or nearly falling.
/trɪp/
A stumble or near fall.
He took a trip, but thankfully didn't fall.
💡 Simply: You can also call a stumble or fall a trip. Like when you are running on the grass and you trip and fall.
👶 For kids: Falling down or almost falling down.
More Examples
Her trip caused her to spill her coffee.
How It's Used
"He had a trip on the stairs."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
take a trip
To go on a journey or vacation.
"I'm going to take a trip to visit my family."
trip the light fantastic
To dance.
"They tripped the light fantastic at the wedding reception."
From Middle English trippen, from Old French triper (“to trample, skip”), of Germanic origin; akin to Dutch trippen (“to trip, stumble”).
Used since the late 14th century in the sense of stumbling, and later as a journey in the 16th century.
Memory tip
Think of someone unexpectedly falling down.
Word Origin
"To stumble, skip"