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honey trap

or hon·ey·trap

[ huhn-ee-trap ]
/ ˈhʌn iˌtræp /
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noun
an investigative technique that tests the fidelity of a spouse or significant other by attempting to lure them into a romantic or sexual liaison: The private eye used a classic honey trap to get evidence that her husband was cheating.
a scenario in espionage whereby an agent enters into a romantic or sexual relationship with a civilian and seeks to leverage that intimacy to coerce or blackmail the target or to discover secret information.
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Origin of honey trap

First recorded in 1970–75; popularized by John le Carré in his novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974 )
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use honey trap in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for honey trap

honeytrap
/ (ˈhʌnɪˌtræp) /

noun
informal a scheme in which a victim is lured into a compromising sexual situation to provide an opportunity for blackmail
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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