fall into a trap

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /fɔːl ɪntə ə træp/
• (US) IPA^(key): /fɑːl ɪntə ə træp/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Verb

fall into a trap (third-person singular simple present falls into a trap, present participle falling into a trap, simple past fell into a trap, past participle fallen into a trap)

1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To make a mistake, a bad decision or act senselessly and get into an extremely difficult situation.

   If you are not careful, you can fall into a trap of focusing too much on getting more loans instead of paying off other bills.

2. (idiomatic, intransitive) To be fooled and get into a difficult situation by relying on someone or responding to a scam, trick or prank.

   He fell into a trap by believing his childhood friend and giving away all of his savings.

Synonyms

• walk into a trap
• fall for

Translations

To make a mistake, a bad decision or act insensibly and get into an extremely difficult situation

• Bulgarian: обърквам (bg) (obǎrkvam), оплесквам (bg) (opleskvam)
• Finnish: mokata (fi), möhliä (fi)
• Russian: сесть в лужу (ru) (sestʹ v lužu),попасть впросак (ru) (popastʹ vprosak)
• Swedish: göra en tabbe, tabba (sv)

To be fooled and get into a difficult situation by relying on someone or responding to a scam, trick or prank

• German: in eine Falle geraten, in eine Falle gehen
• Hungarian: csapdába esik
• Russian: попасть в ловушку (popastʹ v lovušku),попасться на удочку (ru) (popastʹsja na udočku)