English Explanatory Dictionary

mousetrap

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A device for capturing or killing mice and other rodents.
  2. A website designed to open another copy of itself when the user tries to close the webpage.
  3. Ordinary, everyday cheese.
  4. A slice of bread or toast topped with cheese and then grilled or microwaved.
  5. An antisubmarine rocket used mainly during World War II by the US Navy and US Coast Guard.
verb
  1. To trap; to trick or fool (someone) into a bad situation.
  2. To prevent (the user) from leaving a website by opening another copy when it is closed.

Pronunciation

mous'trăp /ˈmaʊsˌtɹæp/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-mousetrap.wav

Word forms

mousetrap mousetraps mouse trap mousetrapping mousetrapped

Etymology

From Middle English mouse-trappe, mous trappe, mouse trape, equivalent to mouse + trap. Cognate with Dutch muizetrap, muizentrap (“mousetrap”), German Low German Muustrappe, Muustrapp (“mousetrap”). In the Internet sense, refers to a computer mouse.

Synonyms

mousefall

Derived words

build a better mousetrap build a better mousetrap and the world will beat a path to your door mousetrap gun mousetrap man mousetrapped
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