trip

plural trips

1. A journey; an excursion or jaunt.

   I took a weekend trip to Seville.

   5 more examples

   beach trip, camping trip, fishing trip, school trip, shopping trip

   We make annual trips to the museum.

   They have been on a trip since last month.

   I sold my horse and took a trip to Ceylon and back on an Orient boat as a passenger,

   1918, Ralph Henry Barbour, Lost Island

   We made an odd party before the arrival of the Ten, particularly when the Celebrity dropped in for lunch or dinner. He could not be induced to remain permanently at Mohair because Miss Trevor was at Asquith, but he appropriated a Hempstead cart from the Mohair stables and made the trip sometimes twice in a day.

   1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC

   1. A short outing for a specified purpose.

      He went on a trip to the drug store.

   2. colloquialA period of time in which one experiences drug-induced reverie or hallucinations.

      He had a strange trip after taking LSD.

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      Unlike other accepted stimuli, from nicotine to liquor, the hallucinogens promise those who take the “trip” a magic-carpet escape from dull reality in which perceptions are heightened, sense distorted, and the imagination permanently bedazzled with ecstatic visions of teleological verity.

      1967, Joe David Brown, editor, The Hippies, New York: Time, Inc, page 2

      We don't smoke marijuana in Muskogee / We don't take our trips on LSD

      1969, Merle Haggard, “Okie from Muskogee”

2. An unusual or remarkable experience.

   I had a weird experience, it was quite the trip.

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   Many of them admit to having suppressed any tendency toward homosexual behavior for the greater part of their lives—yet—denial becomes too heavy a trip after a period of time, and eventually curiosity wins out.

   1974 April 13, Heather Anderson, “Hustling”, in Gay Community News, page 2

   1. broadlyIntense involvement in or enjoyment of a condition.

      ego trip

      3 more examples

      power trip

      nostalgia trip

      guilt trip

   2. A lifestyle; a preoccupation.

      He's on a health-food trip.

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      His whole celebrity trip made it hard to relate to him.

3. A stumble or misstep.

   He was injured due to a trip down the stairs.

   1. governmentThe act of tripping someone, or causing them to lose their footing; a wrestling move in which an opponent is tripped.

      And watches with a trip his foe to foil.

      1697, Virgil, “Georgic II”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

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      It is the sudden trip in wrestling that fetches a man to the ground.

      1661 December 10, Robert South, False Foundations Removed […]

   2. A faux pas, a social error.
   3. archaicfigurativelyAn error; a failure; a mistake.

      Imperfect words, with childish trips.

      1671, John Milton, “(please specify the page)”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC

      1 more example

      Each seeming trip, and each digressive start.

      1767, Walter Harte, The amaranth; or, Religious poems

      Synonyms: aberration, bloomer, blooper, blunder, boner, boo-boo, break, clanger

4. businessA trip-switch; a cut-out.

   It's dark because the trip operated.

   1. businessThe action of activating or deactivating a switch or trigger.

      His trip of the switch activated the mechanism.

5. collectiveA group of animals, most traditionally goats and hares.

   A trip of wolves burst from the brush, moving with unnatural speed.

   2023, Theophilus Monroe, Bloody Brilliance

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   It's not something you see every day: Virginia State Police (VSP) found themselves dealing with "baaaa-d" behavior with a trip of goats on the side of Interstate 64 in Chesapeake.

   2024 May 15, Preston Steger, “Goats on I-64 in Chesapeake rescued by state police, animal control”, in 13 News Now

   When humans have a problem, we usually take the necessary steps: we call a guy, who calls another guy, who knows another guy who can come fix it, right? Merely something along those lines...but what if we told you that guy was actually two dozen goats? Cue the trip of goats!... 5 of the 24 in the trip will remain here to stay for the rest of the summer to manage the plants’ growth.

   2021 July 23, Makenzie LaPorte, “Invasive Plant Problem? Bring in the Goats”, in Discovery

   =As hounds are astonished and divided by the sudden appearance of a trip of hares starting all at once from some well-preserved patch of furze, so were the MacKenzies confused by this new expedient of their enemies.

   1880, Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, Highland Legends, page 190

6. Senses relating to a deliberate motion.
   1. A quick, light step; a lively movement of the feet; a skip.

      His heart bounded as he sometimes could distinctly hear the trip of a light female step glide to or from the door.

      1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC

   2. nauticalA single tack while beating (sailing to windward).

present singular third person trips · participle present tripping · participle past tripped · past tripped

1. intransitiveTo fall over or stumble over an object as a result of striking it with one's foot

   Be careful not to trip on those tree roots. You tripped over the cat and fell downstairs just last week.

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   Tripping over a fallen limb, I fall flat on my face, confirming that tropical soils have all the organic cushion of macadam.

   1990 August, Boyd Gibbons, “Missouri's Garden of Consequence”, in National Geographic, volume 178, number 2, page 130

2. sometimestransitiveTo cause (a person or animal) to fall or stumble by knocking their feet from under them.

   A pedestrian was able to trip the burglar as he was running away.

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   Early in his boyhood he had learned to form ropes by twisting and tying long grasses together, and with these he was forever tripping Tublat or attempting to hang him from some overhanging branch.

   1912 October, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “Tarzan of the Apes”, in The All-Story, New York, N.Y.: Frank A. Munsey Co., →OCLC; republished as chapter 5, in Tarzan of the Apes, New York, N.Y.: A[lbert] L[evi] Burt Company, June 1914, →OCLC

3. intransitiveTo be guilty of a misstep or mistake; to commit an offence against morality, propriety, etc

   [T]ill his Tongue trips

   1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], “Remedies of the Imperfection and Abuse of Words”, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book III, page 250

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   And the Pharasay / Then durst nothynge say, / But let the matter slyp, / And made truth to tryp;

   c. 1503–1512, John Skelton, Ware the Hauke; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC, page 66, lines 152–155

   A blind will thereupon comes to be led by a blind understanding; there is no remedy, but it must trip and stumble.

   1692–1717, Robert South, “Discourse upon 2 Thessalonians ii.II”, in Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London

   Virgil is so exact in every word that none can be changed but for a worse; he pretends sometimes to trip, but it is to make you think him in danger when most secure.

   1697, Virgil, translated by John Dryden, The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

   "No, Mrs. Curzon-Bowlby," he said; "if I danced I should be tripping indeed, in Gleicester opinion."

   1897, Stanley John Weyman, “The Deanery Ball”, in For the Cause

4. obsoletetransitiveTo detect in a misstep; to catch; to convict.

   These her women can trip me if I err.

   1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene v]

5. transitiveTo activate or set in motion, as in the activation of a trap, explosive, or switch.

   When we get into the factory, trip the lights.

6. intransitiveTo be activated, as by a signal or an event

   The alarm system tripped, throwing everyone into a panic.

7. Of an electrical circuit, to trip out (through overload, a short circuit).

   The 25kV had repeatedly tripped and the two had split from a larger group to operate an overhead line isolating switch.

   2023 August 23, “Network News: CCTV helps save track workers from being struck by train”, in RAIL, number 990, page 10

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   From the evidence of witnesses and of the recorded passing times, including the time at which the circuit breakers were tripped when the wires were brought down, the train was travelling at a speed of not less than 70 m.p.h.

   1961 November, “Talking of Trains: Derailment near Holmes Chapel”, in Trains Illustrated, page 652

8. intransitiveTo experience a state of reverie or to hallucinate, due to consuming psychoactive drugs.

   After taking the LSD, I started tripping about fairies and colors.

   1 more example

   So, I went to the doctor, see what he could give me / He said, "Son, son, you've gone too far / 'Cause smokin' and trippin’ is all that you do," / Yeeeeeeaaaaaah

   1970, Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne, “Fairies Wear Boots”, in Paranoid, performed by Black Sabbath

9. intransitiveTo journey, to make a trip.

   Last summer, we tripped to the coast.

10. datedintransitiveTo move with light, quick steps; to walk or move lightly; to skip.

    Come, and trip it, as ye go, / On the light fantastic toe.

    a. 1645, John Milton, “L’Allegro”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC

    2 more examples

    She bounded by, and tripped so light / They had not time to take a steady sight.

    1687, [John Dryden], “(please specify the page number)”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC

    A bright beautiful face glanced out at the window, and vanished—a light footstep was heard—and Mary came tripping forth to meet us.

    1819 June 23, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “The Wife”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., number I, New York, N.Y.: […] C[ornelius] S. Van Winkle, […], →OCLC, page 53

11. nauticalTo raise (an anchor) from the sea bottom, by its cable or buoy rope, so that it hangs free.
12. nauticalTo pull (a yard) into a perpendicular position for lowering it.
13. slangAfrican-American Vernacular; most commonly used in the form tripping; African-American Vernacular; most commonly used in the form trippingTo become unreasonably upset, especially over something unimportant; to cause a scene or a disruption.

    If she ain't with it, I find another little chick / I'm quick to switch, even when I was six / I had a backup bitch, when my bitch would trip / I'd go play with my other girlfriend and get me a kiss / And at the age of thirty-six I'm to the same old tricks

    2003, “What's a Pimp?”, in Married to the Game, performed by Too $hort

    1. slangAfrican-American Vernacular; most commonly used in the form tripping; African-American Vernacular; African-American VernacularTo act foolishly or irrationally.

1. not comparableslangcard gamesOf or relating to trips (three of a kind).

plural trips

1. ScotlandUKdialectalobsoleteA herd or flock of sheep, goats, etc.
2. obsoleteA troop of men; a host.
3. A flock of wigeons.