This horse anon began to trip and dance. --Chaucer.
Come, and trip it, as you go, On the light fantastic
toe. --Milton.
She bounded by, and tripped so light They had not
time to take a steady sight. --Dryden.
2. To make a brief journey or pleasure excursion; as, to trip
to Europe.
3. To take a quick step, as when in danger of losing one's
balance; hence, to make a false; to catch the foot; to
lose footing; to stumble.
4. Fig.: To be guilty of a misstep; to commit an offense
against morality, propriety, or rule; to err; to mistake;
to fail. ``Till his tongue trip.'' --Locke.
A blind will thereupon comes to be led by a blind
understanding; there is no remedy, but it must trip
and stumble. --South.
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. --Dryden.
What? dost thou verily trip upon a word? --R.
Browning.
2. (Her.) Having the right forefoot lifted, the others
remaining on the ground, as if he were trotting; trippant;
-- said of an animal, as a hart, buck, and the like, used
as a bearing.
Other trippings to be trod of lighter toes.
--Milton.
3. (Naut.) The loosing of an anchor from the ground by means
of its cable or buoy rope.
{Tripping line} (Naut.), a small rope attached to the
topgallant or royal yard, used to trip the yard, and in
lowering it to the deck; also, a line used in letting go
the anchor. --Luce.