Tripwire

Quick meaning: Tripwire is a noun meaning A cord or wire arranged so that when snagged or pulled by an intruder, it will trigger a detector or trap or a device, such as a land mine.

Meaning

A cord or wire arranged so that when snagged or pulled by an intruder, it will trigger a detector or trap or a device, such as a land mine.

More Meanings

1. (figurative) Any means of detecting intruders or attackers.
2. (transitive) To set a tripwire mechanism in (a location).

Example Sentences

They watched the two ghost-hunters run own the corridor and go crashing over the trip-wire.

The continued presence of U.S. troops as a tripwire force in Macedonia is an increasingly risky venture.

Seeing the tripwire of a nearby bouncing Betty gave us cold chills, and we moved all the more slowly through the woods.

Thirteen people were injured in August 1957 when this Bristol freighter skidded on the runway at Southend Airport when landing with a flight from Calais. It ploughed through the boundary fence, but thankfully stopped short of the railway and the 1,500V overhead wires. A tripwire was installed on this section of Shenfield-Southend line to warn train drivers of instances such as this.

Word Forms

• tripwires
• trip wire
• tripwiring
• tripwired

Synonyms for tripwire

Depending on context, synonyms include tripline.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include tripline, trawlwire, wire, pullstring, trawlwarp, wire-tap.

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