TRAP

An old term rather loosely used to identify different dark-coloured, hard igneous rocks, including especially the feldspathic-augitic rocks, basalt, dolerite, amygdaloid, etc, but including also some kinds of diorite. Called also trap rock. Trap tufa, Trap tuff, a kind of fragmental rock made up of fragments and earthy materials from trap rocks. Origin: Sw. Trapp; akin to trappa stairs, Dan. Trappe, G. Treppe, D. Trap; so called because the rocks of this class often occur in big, tabular masses, rising above one other, like steps. See Tramp. 1. A car or contrivance that shuts suddenly, as with a spring, used for assume game or another animals; as, a trap for foxes. "She would weep if that she saw a mouse Caught in a trap." (Chaucer) 2. A snare; an ambush; a stratagem; any device by which one may be caught unawares. "Let their table be made a snare and a trap." (Rom. Xi. 9) "God and your majesty Protect mine innocence, or I fall into The trap is laid for me!" (Shak) 3. A wooden instrument shaped somewhat like a shoe, used in the game of trapball. It consists of a pivoted hand on one end of which is placed the ball to be thrown into the air by striking the another end. Also, a car for throwing into the air glass balls, clay pigeons, etc, to be shot at. 4. The game of trapball. 5. A bend, sag, or partitioned chamber, in a drain, soil tube, sewer, etc, arranged so that the liquid contents form a sorrow which prevents passage of air or gas, but permits the flow of liquids. 6. A seat in a water tube, exhaust, etc, where air accumulates for want of an outlet. 7. A wagon, or another vehicle. 8. A kind of movable stepladder. Trap stairs, a staircase leading to a trapdoor. Trap wood the jack; so called because it furnishes a kind of birdlime. See 1st Jack. Origin: OE. Trappe, AS. Treppe; akin to OD.trappe, OHG. Trapo; perhaps fr. The root of E. Tramp, as that which is trod upon: cf. F. Trappe, which is trod upon: cf. F. Trappe, which probably influenced the English word. Source: Websters Vocabulary

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