- entrap
- transitive verb Etymology: Middle French entraper, from en- + trape trap Date: 1534 1. to catch in or as if in a trap 2. to lure into a compromising statement or act Synonyms: see catch
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
entrap
Look at other dictionaries:
entrap — en·trap /in trap/ vt en·trapped, en·trap·ping: to cause (a person) to commit a crime by means of undue persuasion, encouragement, or fraud in order to later prosecute police entrap him into violating the literal terms of a criminal statute W. R.… … Law dictionary
Entrap — En*trap , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Entrapped}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Entrapping}.] [Pref. en + trap: cf. OF. entraper.] To catch in a trap; to insnare; hence, to catch, as in a trap, by artifices; to involve in difficulties or distresses; to catch or… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
entrap — 1530s, intrappe, from O.Fr. entraper trap, catch in a trap; see EN (Cf. en ) (1) + TRAP (Cf. trap). Related: Entrapped; entrapping … Etymology dictionary
entrap — trap, snare, ensnare, bag, *catch, capture Analogous words: seize, *take, clutch: *lure, inveigle, decoy, entice … New Dictionary of Synonyms
entrap — [v] capture, involve allure, bag*, beguile, benet, box in*, catch, decoy, embroil, enmesh, ensnare, entangle, entice, hook, implicate, inveigle, lay for*, lead on, lure, net, reel in*, rope in*, seduce, set up, snare, suck in*, tempt, trap,… … New thesaurus
entrap — ► VERB (entrapped, entrapping) 1) catch in a trap. 2) (of a police officer) deceive (someone) into committing a crime in order to secure their prosecution. DERIVATIVES entrapment noun … English terms dictionary
entrap — [en trap′, intrap′] vt. entrapped, entrapping [OFr entraper] 1. to catch in or as in a trap 2. to deceive or trick into difficulty, as into incriminating oneself entrapment n … English World dictionary
entrap — v. (D; tr.) to entrap in, into * * * [ɪn træp] into (D;tr.) to entrap in … Combinatory dictionary
entrap — [[t]ɪntræ̱p[/t]] entraps, entrapping, entrapped VERB If you entrap someone, you trick or deceive them and make them believe or do something wrong. [FORMAL] [V n] The police have been given extra powers to entrap drug traffickers... [V n] He… … English dictionary
entrap — UK [ɪnˈtræp] / US verb [transitive] Word forms entrap : present tense I/you/we/they entrap he/she/it entraps present participle entrapping past tense entrapped past participle entrapped a) to put someone in a dangerous situation that is difficult … English dictionary
entrap — entrapper, n. entrappingly, adv. /en trap /, v.t., entrapped, entrapping. 1. to catch in or as in a trap; ensnare: The hunters used nets to entrap the lion. 2. to bring unawares into difficulty or danger: He entrapped himself in the web of his… … Universalium
