Search the Dictionary

o involve in difficulties or distresses; to catch or involve in contradictions; as, to be entrapped by the devices of evil men. A golden mesh, to entrap the hearts of men. Shak.

ttacking an enemy unexpectedly from a concealed station. Hence: Unseen peril; a device to entrap; a snare. Heaven, whose high walls fear no assault or siege Or ambush from the deep. Milton.

To entrap; to insnare. [Obs.] Grafton.

To seize, capture, or entrap; as, to bag an army; to bag game.

Hence, to entrap into the military or naval service; as, to crimp seamen. Coaxing and courting with intent to crimp him. Carlyle.

ractice, which misleads another, or causes him to believe what is false; a contrivance to entrap; deception; a wily device; fraud. Making the ephah small and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit. Amos viii. 5. Friendly to man, far from deceit or guile. Milton. Yet still we hug the dear deceit. N. Cot…

To lead into danger by artifice; to lure into a net or snare; to entrap; to insnare; to allure; to entice; as, to decoy troops into an ambush; to decoy ducks into a net. Did to a lonely cot his steps decoy. Thomson. E'en while fashion's brightest arts decoy, The heart, distrusting, asks if this be joy. Goldsmith.…

To become insnared or embarrassed; to be entrapped; to be worse off than before; asm to fall into error; to fall into difficulties.

obsolete, except as a place name, -- as Fleet Street in London. Together wove we nets to entrap the fish In floods and sedgy fleets. Matthewes.

ook, esp. with a disguised or baited hook; hence, to secure by allurement or artifice; to entrap; to catch; as, to hook a dress; to hook a trout. Hook him, my poor dear, . . . at any sacrifice. W. Collins.

Capable of being insnared or entrapped. [R.] Cudworth.

To insnare; to entrap; to entangle; to catch. Let not the surpassing eloquence of Taylor dazzle you, nor his scholastic retairy versatility of logic illaqueate your good sense. Coleridge.

Lying in wait; watching an opportunity to insnare or entrap; deceitful; sly; treacherous; -- said of persons; as, the insidious foe. "The insidious witch." Cowper.

To catch in a snare; to entrap; to take by artificial means. "Insnare a gudgeon." Fenton.

See Entrap. Spenser.

An inclosure constructed to entrap wild elephants; an elephant trap. [India]

One that lurches or lies in wait; one who watches to pilfer, or to betray or entrap; a poacher.

en knot and knot, or the threads inclosing such a space; network; a net. A golden mesh to entrap the hearts of men. Shak.

Anything designed or fitted to entrap or catch; a snare; any device for catching and holding. A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadeth a net for his feet. Prov. xxix. 5. In the church's net there are fishes good or bad. Jer. Taylor.

To tie in a noose; to catch in a noose; to entrap; to insnare.