noun
mousetrap
MOWS-trap
noun
1
A device designed to catch or kill mice.
"He baited the mousetrap with a bit of cheese."
2
A website that opens endless new pop-ups or copies of itself when the user tries to close it.
"The shady site mousetrapped his browser with dozens of new tabs."
verb
1
To trick or trap someone into a bad situation.
"The salesman tried to mousetrap customers into a long-term contract."
How to Use Mousetrap
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA trap for mice, or — online — a page that traps your browser.
Common pairings
set a mousetrap
mousetrap website
Word Forms
mousetrapped past tense, mousetraps plural, mousetraps singular
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Etymology
From Middle English mouse-trappe, a straightforward combination of "mouse" and "trap." The web-browser sense borrows the trap idea for a page that won't let you leave.