trapped

American  

[trapt] / træpt /

adjective

1. caught in or as if in a trap or by a ruse, trick, or stratagem.

   Relocate any trapped rabbit at least five miles from the capture site.

   Early in the visit I became the trapped witness to a nasty argument between my host and his wife, which they expected me to arbitrate.

2. (of air, water, etc.) held or contained in an enclosed space or in another substance.

   Make sure the clay is pressed flat, with no trapped air bubbles.

3. accidentally stuck or jammed in a narrow place from which release is difficult.

   This excellent telescopic ladder has finger guards—no more trapped fingers when letting it down!

4. set with traps.

   We followed the track carefully through heavily trapped bush to the meeting place.

5. (of a drain, pipe, or the like) furnished with a device for stopping undesirable substances from flowing through.

   The pipes discharge wastewater into a sewer, usually through a trapped drain.

6. Baseball. (of a ball) caught as it hits the ground.

   Challenges to the umpire included a trapped ball in the outfield that nobody else thought was actually caught.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of trap

Etymology

Origin of trapped

First recorded in 1425–75; trap ¹ ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; trap ¹ ( def. ) + -ed ¹ ( def. ) for the verb sense

Example Sentences

This energy remained trapped in layers of atmosphere for twenty to thirty miles away from the volcano.

From Literature

The person was trapped in the car as water entered the vehicle, the fire service said, adding that with the stream's water level rising rapidly, rapid extraction was needed.

From BBC

“The EU may be trapped in a vicious circle,” the ECA said.

From The Wall Street Journal

One day a mishap while shooting a stunt that relies on DeMarr’s power for a movie leaves the fictional version of Gad trapped inside him.

From Los Angeles Times

An Australian woman has died after becoming trapped in a ski lift at a resort in central Japan, officials have said.

From BBC

Related Words

• captured
• cornered