booby trap
/ˈbuːbi ˌtræp/
A booby trap is a hidden device meant to cause harm, or a deceptive situation that appears safe but is intended to catch the unwary.
Examples
- The advertisement was a clever booby trap that led consumers to buy unnecessary products.
- The soldiers were warned about possible booby traps along the trail.
- Booby trap was discovered in the abandoned warehouse, prompting the bomb squad to intervene.
- The contract contained a booby trap that would penalise the buyer for late payment.
- The spy disabled the booby trap before it could detonate.
Meanings
First recorded in the early 19th century as a schoolboy prank, the phrase was later applied to concealed explosive devices during wartime.
Examples
- Booby trap was discovered in the abandoned warehouse, prompting the bomb squad to intervene.
- The soldiers were warned about possible booby traps along the trail.
- He set a booby trap on the door to catch intruders.
- The village suffered casualties from hidden booby traps left after the conflict.
- The spy disabled the booby trap before it could detonate.
The figurative use emerged in the mid‑20th century as the literal sense became widely known.
Examples
- The contract contained a booby trap that would penalise the buyer for late payment.
- Investors fell into a booby trap when the startup exaggerated its earnings.
- The advertisement was a clever booby trap that led consumers to buy unnecessary products.
- She realized the interview question was a booby trap designed to reveal her lack of experience.
- The politician's promise turned out to be a booby trap for voters.