traipse
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
noun
Usage
Where does the word traipse come from? Traipse generally means "to wander aimlessly or idly while never reaching one's goal," as in Last night, they traipsed all over town trying to find a store that was still open. Well, you'll certainly wander aimlessly if you try to find the origin of the word traipse. The word is first recorded around 1585–95. It could be related to the verb tramp, and one can definitely traipse, or "walk over," something, such as fields or flowers. An alternative theory connects traipse to trespass, which originates from French. Traipse isn’t alone: it finds lots of company in other English words that seem simple but whose origins are not. Discover more in our slideshow “‘Dog,’ ‘Boy,’ And Other Words That We Don’t Know Where They Came From."
Other Word Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have traipsedperfect
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has traipsedperfect 3rd person singular
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has been traipsingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is traipsingprogressive 3rd person singular
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are traipsingprogressive
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have been traipsingperfect progressive
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traipsessingular 3rd person
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am traipsingprogressive 1st person singular
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traipsingparticiple
Past
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had traipsedperfect
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had been traipsingperfect progressive
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was traipsingprogressive singular
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were traipsingprogressive plural
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traipsedsimple
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traipsedparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of traipse
First recorded in 1585–95; earlier trapse, unexplained variant of trape, of disputed origin; perhaps obscurely akin to tramp
Explanation
To traipse is to walk around with a sloppy or aimless attitude. A bored high school student might traipse through a museum on a class trip, for example. When you traipse, you trudge in an exhausted or reluctant way. Picture several kids dutifully following their dad along a hiking path or walking a mile to school, and you'll have a good idea of what traipse means. We've used the word since the 16th century, but its origin isn't certain. Some scholars think traipse comes from the French trepasser, "to pass over," while others believe it started as an example of onomatopoeia, a word that sounds like what it means.
Vocabulary lists containing traipse
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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Our Town
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Before We Were Free
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While you’re there: Traipse through 27 acres of manicured grounds at the Louisiana Capitol, the country’s tallest state capitol.
From Washington Post • Feb. 24, 2022
Traipse back through the neighborhood to the starting point — and know that nobody will judge you if you stop back at Picolinos for another glass of wine.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 11, 2022
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
