The words of Hobbes's defense trip up the heels of
his cause. --Abp.
Bramhall.
2. Fig.: To overthrow by depriving of support; to put an
obstacle in the way of; to obstruct; to cause to fail.
To trip the course of law, and blunt the sword.
--Shak.
3. To detect in a misstep; to catch; to convict. [R.]
These her women can trip me if I err. --Shak.
4. (Naut.)
(a) To raise (an anchor) from the bottom, by its cable or
buoy rope, so that it hangs free.
(b) To pull (a yard) into a perpendicular position for
lowering it.
5. (Mach.) To release, let fall, or see free, as a weight or
compressed spring, as by removing a latch or detent.
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.
His heart bounded as he sometimes could hear the
trip of a light female step glide to or from the
door. --Sir W.
Scott.
2. A brief or rapid journey; an excursion or jaunt.
I took a trip to London on the death of the queen.
--Pope.
3. A false step; a stumble; a misstep; a loss of footing or
balance. Fig.: An error; a failure; a mistake.
Imperfect words, with childish trips. --Milton.
Each seeming trip, and each digressive start.
--Harte.
4. A small piece; a morsel; a bit. [Obs.] ``A trip of
cheese.'' --Chaucer.
5. A stroke, or catch, by which a wrestler causes his
antagonist to lose footing.
And watches with a trip his foe to foil. --Dryden.
It is the sudden trip in wrestling that fetches a
man to the ground. --South.
6. (Naut.) A single board, or tack, in plying, or beating, to
windward.
7. A herd or flock, as of sheep, goats, etc. [Prov. Eng. &
Scott.]
8. A troop of men; a host. [Obs.] --Robert of Brunne.
9. (Zo["o]l.) A flock of widgeons.