trip
trihp
Trip (noun) means a journey, especially for pleasure or a specific purpose. Example: “Our class went on a school trip to the science museum last week.”
noun
1
A journey, especially for pleasure or a specific purpose.
"Our class went on a school trip to the science museum last week."
"They planned a trip to Japan for the spring."
"It was just a quick trip to the shops."
2
Informal: a period of hallucination caused by psychoactive drugs.
"The documentary explained how a bad trip can leave people frightened and confused."
"In the novel, the character recalls his first trip as terrifying rather than fun."
"He described the trip as vivid and strange."
verb
1
To catch your foot on something and stumble or fall.
"Be careful not to trip on the loose paving stone."
"The little boy tripped on his shoelace and scraped his knee."
"She tripped over the rug in the hallway."
2
To activate a switch, alarm, or mechanism, often unintentionally.
"Anyone who opens the back door will trip the security alarm."
"A power surge tripped the switch in the fuse box."
"The smoke tripped the fire alarm."
How to use trip
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishMost often a journey somewhere — but also to stumble physically, or to set off a switch or alarm.
Common pairings
a business trip
trip over
trip a wire
trip the alarm
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Word forms
- Plural
- trips
- Third person singular
- trips
- Past tense
- tripped
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Our class went on a school _____ to the science museum last week.
Etymology
From Middle English trippen ("to step lightly, skip"), possibly via Old French triper or Middle Dutch trippen.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for trip
See all rhymes for trip →Frequently asked questions
What does “trip” mean?
The word “trip” means a journey, especially for pleasure or a specific purpose. In plain terms, most often a journey somewhere — but also to stumble physically, or to set off a switch or alarm.
How do you pronounce “trip”?
“Trip” is pronounced trihp (/tɹɪp/ in IPA).
How do you use “trip” in a sentence?
Here is “trip” used in a sentence: “They planned a trip to Japan for the spring.”
What part of speech is “trip”?
Depending on how it is used, “trip” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “trip” come from?
The word “trip” comes from Old French. From Middle English trippen ("to step lightly, skip"), possibly via Old French triper or Middle Dutch trippen.
Is “trip” a common word?
“Trip” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “trip” have?
“Trip” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a journey, especially for pleasure or a specific purpose.
What is the difference between a trip and a journey?
A trip usually refers to the whole outing, often shorter and centred on a destination or purpose, and it typically implies coming back — a day trip, a business trip. A journey emphasises the act of travelling itself and can be long or even figurative, as in a life journey. Every trip involves a journey.
What is the difference between a trip and a holiday?
A trip is the act of travelling somewhere for a purpose, while a holiday, or vacation, is time set aside for rest and enjoyment. A holiday often includes a trip, but you can take a business trip that is no holiday at all, or holiday at home without any trip at all.
What are the types of trips?
Common kinds include a road trip taken by car, a day trip completed within a single day, a business trip made for work, a field trip organised for study, and a round trip that returns to the starting point. The word is flexible, so almost any purpose — shopping, camping, sightseeing — can name the trip.
What is an example of a trip?
You might say, 'We're planning a trip to the coast this weekend,' or 'The school organised a trip to the museum.' The word suits any journey made for pleasure or a set purpose, whether it lasts a few hours or several weeks, close to home or far abroad.
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