definition of trip trap

trip-trap in English dictionary

Meanings and definitions of "trip-trap".

• verb (intransitive) to make stomping or tapping noises while walking or running
• verb (transitive, rare) to make one to trip-trap

Grammar and declension of trip-trap

• trip-trap ( third-person singular simple present trip-traps , present participle trip-trapping , simple past and past participle trip-trapped )

Sample sentences with " trip-trap "

English [ edit ]

Verb [ edit ].

triptrap ( third-person singular simple present triptraps , present participle triptrapping , simple past and past participle triptrapped )

• Alternative form of trip-trap

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trip-traps ( English)

• Third-person singular simple present indicative form of trip-trap

This is the meaning of trip-trap:

trip-trap ( English)

Alternative forms.

• ( intransitive ) to make stomping or tapping noises while walking or running
• 2002 , Beverly Cleary, The Best of Ramona Ramona trip-trapped joyfully all the way to the parked car, and when she reached home she trip-trapped up and down the hall and all around the house.
• ( transitive , rare ) to cause one to trip-trap
• 2014 , Scott Nicholson, The Home: A Supernatural Thriller Her lips parted, Freeman was suddenly triptrapping , no, she was triptrapping him, and then they were triptrapping together […]

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Entries where "trip-traps" occurs:

triptraps : see also trip-traps ‎ triptraps (English) Verb triptraps Third-person singular simple present indicative form of triptrap

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Cite this page : "trip-traps" – WordSense Online Dictionary (19th November, 2023) URL: https://www.wordsense.eu/trip-traps/

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tripa (Asturian)

tripack (English)

tripacks (English)

tripada (Galician)

tripaflavină (Romanian)

tripala (Italian)

tripalas (Spanish)

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历任 , afaka , scantily , impressum

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• tourist trap

a place, as a restaurant, shop, or hotel, that exploits tourists by overcharging.

Words Nearby tourist trap

• tourist class
• tourist court
• tourist home

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use tourist trap in a sentence

This strip is overpopulated with tourist traps, such as mini-golf courses, scooter rental spots, souvenir shops and eateries.

Self-awareness versus self-importance—that is the primary divide between a real steak shop and a tourist trap .

trip-traps meaning

Definition of trip-traps in english dictionary.

• third-person singular simple present indicative form of trip-trap .
• Third-person singular forms

Meaning of trip-traps for the defined word.

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Definition of guilt-trip

 (Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

Definition of guilt trip  (Entry 2 of 2)

Examples of guilt-trip in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'guilt-trip.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

1974, in the meaning defined above

1970, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near guilt-trip

Cite this entry.

“Guilt-trip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guilt-trip. Accessed 19 Nov. 2023.

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Meaning of trap in English

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trap noun ( SOMETHING THAT PREVENTS ESCAPE )

• Don't fall into the trap of thinking you can learn a foreign language without doing any work .
• His foot was caught in the jaws of the trap.
• We set a trap and they walked right into it.
• They put rabbit traps all over the wood .
• We set traps to try to control the mice .
• anti-hunter
• anti-hunting
• fishing line
• fishing rod
• fly fishing
• overfishing

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

trap noun ( MOUTH )

• alveolar ridge
• hard palate
• labiodental
• soft palate
• tensor veli palatini muscle
• vocal cords

trap noun ( VEHICLE )

• horse-drawn
• sedan chair
• wagon train

trap noun ( AMERICAN FOOTBALL )

• 18-yard box
• football pools
• four five one
• four four two
• professional foul
• relegation zone
• reserve team
• route one football

trap noun ( MUSIC )

• catch The dog got out, but we caught her.
• net We netted a ton of fish downstream.
• trawl Commercial fisheries trawl these waters for cod.
• troll They troll for tuna far offshore.
• lasso The cowboys learned at a young age how to lasso horses and steers.
• trap The turtles are trapped for their flesh.
• She went to the aid of a man trapped in his car .
• Firefighters helped to dig out the people trapped in the snowdrift .
• Rescuers are doing everything that is humanly possible to free the trapped people .
• Jane is trapped in a joyless marriage .
• We could hear the moans of someone trapped under the rubble .

trap | American Dictionary

Trap noun [c] ( device for catching ), trap noun [c] ( mouth ), translations of trap.

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a greyish-green colour that is often used for military uniforms

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• trap (SOMETHING THAT PREVENTS ESCAPE)
• trap (MOUTH)
• trap (VEHICLE)
• trap (AMERICAN FOOTBALL)
• trap (MUSIC)
• be trapped into (doing) something
• trap (DEVICE FOR CATCHING)
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What does "trip and trap" mean here?

• Thread starter Maggiemoocn
• Start date Jan 31, 2020

Definition of 'trip'

Video: pronunciation of trip

trip in British English

Trip in american english, trip in american english, trip in american english 1, trip in american english 2, examples of 'trip' in a sentence trip, cobuild collocations trip, trends of trip.

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What Is Guilt Tripping?

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

damircudic / Getty Images

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Frequently Asked Questions

A guilt trip means causing another person to feel guilt or a sense of responsibility to change their behavior or take a specific action. Because guilt can be such a powerful motivator of human behavior, people can wield it as a tool to change how others think, feel, and behave. 

Sometimes this might involve leaning on something that someone already feels guilty about. In other cases, people might induce feelings of unjustified guilt or responsibility to manipulate the other person's emotions and behaviors.

If someone has ever made you feel bad about something you’ve done (or didn’t do) and then used those bad feelings to get you to do something for them, then you have experience with guilt tripping.

This article discusses the signs, types, and impact of guilt trips. It also covers some of the steps you can take to cope with this type of behavior.

Signs of a Guilt Trip

Guilt trips can be intentional, but they can also be unintentional. There are chances that you have even guilt-tripped people into doing things before.

Sometimes guilt tripping behavior can be easy to spot, but it can also be much more subtle and difficult to detect.  Some key signs that others may be guilt-tripping you include:

• Making comments suggesting that you have not done as much work as they have done
• Bringing up mistakes that you have made in the past
• Reminding you of favors they have performed for you in the past
• Acting as if they are angry but then denying that there is a problem
• Refusing to speak to you or giving you the silent treatment
• Making it clear through their body language , tone of voice, and facial expressions that they disapprove of what you were doing
• Suggesting that you “owe” them
• Engaging in passive-aggressive behavior
• Making sarcastic comments about your efforts or progress

It is important to note that this type of indirect communication can occur in any interpersonal relationship. Still, it is more likely to take place in relationships that are marked by close emotional connections.

It can show up in romantic relationships, but guilt trips may also be utilized in family relationships, parental relationships, and even work relationships.

Types of Guilt Tripping

There are many different types of guilt trips that people may utilize depending on the ultimate goal or purpose of the behavior. Some of the different purposes of a guilt trip include:

• Manipulation : Sometimes, the primary goal of a guilt trip is to manipulate someone into doing something that they normally would not want to do.  
• Conflict avoidance : In other cases, people may use guilt trips to avoid directly talking about an issue. It allows them to get what they want without having to engage in direct conflict.
• Moral education : Guilt trips can also be a way of getting someone to engage in a behavior that the individual feels is more moral or “right.”
• Elicit sympathy : In some cases, guilt-tripping allows the individual to gain the sympathy of others by casting themselves in the role of someone who has been harmed by the actions the other person is supposed to feel guilty about.

Guilt isn't always a bad thing. While often troubling and unpleasant, it can serve an important role in guiding moral behavior. When people experience guilt, they can fix their mistakes and avoid repeating the same errors in the future.

Researcher Courtney Humeny

A guilt trip does not appear to induce the benefits of guilt, such as making amends, honesty, and mutual understanding.

Impact of Guilt Trips

Invoking feelings of guilt to change someone’s behavior can have a wide variety of effects. Whether guilt is wielded intentionally or not, it prevents healthy communication and connections with others. Some of the most immediate effects of this form of covert psychological manipulation include:

Damage to Relationships

Research suggests that guilt trips can take a toll on close relationships. One study found that people hurt by their partner's criticism were more likely to use those hurt feelings to make their partner feel guilty and offer reassurances.

However, the study also found that the partner who had been guilt-tripped into offering assurances was more likely to feel significantly worse about the relationship.

In other words, inducing feelings of guilt may work to get your partner to do what you want—but it comes at a cost. It can impair trust and cause the other person to feel that they are being manipulated. 

One of the reasons why guilt trips can poison relationships is because they can lead to lasting feelings of resentment.

"A guilt trip imposes aversive states associated with guilt, along with feelings of resentment from feeling manipulated," Humeny suggests.

A single occasion of someone using a guilt trip to alter your behavior might not have a serious impact on your relationship. Repeated use of guilt trips can leave you feeling bitter.

If you feel that your partner is always going to guilt you into something that you don't want to do, it can decrease intimacy, reduce emotional closeness, and ultimately make you start to resent your partner.

Research suggests that appeals to guilt are a common type of persuasion technique . However, while guilt can compel people to take certain actions, it can also sometimes backfire.

Low-level guilt tends to motivate people to act on the persuasive message. High levels of guilt, however, often fail due to what researchers call "reactance." 

"An individual in a state of reactance will behave in such a way as to restore his freedom (or, at least, his sense of freedom), for example, by performing behaviors that are contrary to those required," explain researchers Aurélien Graton and Melody Mailliez in a 2019 article published in the journal Behavioral Sciences .

In other words, guilt trips can backfire and lead people to behave opposite how someone else wants them to act. For example, someone guilt-tripping you into calling them more often might actually result in calling them less.

Poor Well-being

Feelings of excessive guilt are associated with several mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression , and obsessive-compulsive disorder . Being subjected to guilt trips may contribute to the development or worsening of such conditions.

Experiencing guilt can also lead to many immediate and unpleasant emotions and symptoms such as anxiety, sadness, regret, worry, muscle tension, and insomnia.

This type of covert manipulation may also sometimes contribute to the development of a guilt complex , which is a persistent belief that you have done (or will do) something wrong.

Over time, guilt can lead to feelings of shame. Shame can affect your self-image, which can then contribute to social withdrawal and isolation.

How to Cope With Guilt Tripping

There are a number of tactics that can be helpful when dealing with a guilt trip. Some steps you can take include:

• Acknowledge the request. Let them know that you understand that it is important to them. Responding with empathy and showing that you see their needs may help them feel that they are not simply being ignored. Validating their emotions may help lessen the intensity of those feelings.
• Share your feelings . Explain that you also see how they are trying to make you feel guilty so that you'll do what they want. Then tell them how that type of manipulation makes you feel. Suggest that interacting in that way will lead to resentment and that more direct communication forms would be more effective. 
• Set boundaries . Boundaries help set limits on what you will and will not accept. Even if you do end up helping them with their request, make sure you clearly articulate your limits and explain the consequences of crossing those boundaries. Then be sure that you enforce those limits if they are crossed.

Other things that you can use include protecting your self-esteem and distancing yourself if needed. You're more likely to fall for a guilt trip if you already feel poorly about yourself, so find strategies to build up your sense of self-worth. 

If the other person keeps trying to manipulate you with feelings of guilt, reduce your communication with them or even consider ending the relationship.

Protecting your own well-being should be a top priority. A person who tries to manipulate you with toxic feelings of shame and guilt does not have your best interests at heart.

Getting Help for Guilt

If you are experiencing feelings of guilt or related symptoms of anxiety, stress, or depression, talk to your health care provider or a mental health professional. They can recommend treatment options such as psychotherapy or medications that can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of your life.

Your doctor or therapist may suggest a type of therapy called cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) , which may help reduce inappropriate guilt feelings. This type of therapy can help you identify and change the negative thoughts and cognitive distortions that can contribute to feelings of guilt.

Your therapist can also help you learn to recognize the signs of a guilt trip—and help you practice strategies to cope with this type of emotional manipulation.

An example of guilt tripping might be your friend calling you and saying, "I know you are too busy with work to hang out. I'll just spend the evening by myself. I just thought that since I helped you get that job you would make sure to make a little more time for me." This type of comment is designed to induce feelings of guilt and bring up the idea that you "owe" them in some way.

Guilt tripping is often designed to manipulate other people by preying on their emotions and feelings of guilt or responsibility. This can be a form of toxic behavior that can have detrimental effects on a person's well-being as well as their relationships.

While both behaviors are destructive and toxic, they differ in key ways. Gaslighting is a type of emotional abuse that involves denying another person's reality and making them question their own experiences. Guilt tripping, on the other hand, is about causing another person to feel guilty in order to get them to change their behavior.

Humeny C. A qualitative investigation of a guilt trip . Conference: Institute of Cognitive Science Spring Proceedings.

Overall NC, Girme YU, Lemay EP Jr, Hammond MD. Attachment anxiety and reactions to relationship threat: the benefits and costs of inducing guilt in romantic partners . J Pers Soc Psychol . 2014;106(2):235-56. doi:10.1037/a0034371

Aurélien G, Melody M. A theory of guilt appeals: a review showing the importance of investigating cognitive processes as mediators between emotion and behavior .  Behav Sci (Basel) . 2019;9(12):117. doi:10.3390/bs9120117

Tilghman-Osborne C, Cole DA, Felton JW.  Definition and measurement of guilt: Implications for clinical research and practice .  Clin Psychol Rev . 2010;30(5):536-546. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.007

Miceli M, Castelfranchi C.  Reconsidering the differences between shame and guilt .  Eur J Psychol . 2018;14(3):710-733. doi:10.5964/ejop.v14i3.1564

Herr NR, Jones AC, Cohn DM, Weber DM.  The impact of validation and invalidation on aggression in individuals with emotion regulation difficulties .  Personal Disord . 2015;6(4):310-4. doi:10.1037/per0000129

Cleantis T. Boundaries and self-care . Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.

Hedman E, Ström P, Stünkel A, Mörtberg E. Shame and guilt in social anxiety disorder: effects of cognitive behavior therapy and association with social anxiety and depressive symptoms . PLoS One . 2013;8(4):e61713. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061713

Johnson VE, Nadal KL, Sissoko DRG, King R. "It's not in your head": Gaslighting, 'splaining, victim blaming, and other harmful reactions to microaggressions .  Perspect Psychol Sci . 2021;16(5):1024-1036. doi:10.1177/17456916211011963

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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