traipse

Older Spelling, trapes

[treyps]

verb (used without object)

traipsed, traipsing 

1. to walk or go aimlessly or idly or without finding or reaching one's goal.

   We traipsed all over town looking for a copy of the book.

verb (used with object)

traipsed, traipsing 

1. to walk over; tramp.

   to traipse the fields.

noun

1. a tiring walk.

traipse

/ treɪps /

verb

1. (intr) to walk heavily or tiredly

noun

1. a long or tiring walk; trudge

Word History and Origins

Origin of traipse¹

First recorded in 1585–95; earlier trapse, unexplained variant of trape, of disputed origin; perhaps obscurely akin to tramp

Word History and Origins

Origin of traipse¹

C16: of unknown origin

Example Sentences

“I had to come downstairs late at night in my pajamas to a kitchen filled with six people and traipse through them,” Glusac, a writer, said.

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The weather was brisk, and she could hardly go traipsing around Saint Petersburg without a wrap.

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“What! No! Heavens! I scarcely survive traipsing through the slums, only to find my own house infected with plague! Eek! Eek!”

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George Cukor’s black-and-white vision traipses its heroines through dress fittings, manicures and facials, day drinking and backstabbing all the way, save for an interruption by a Technicolor fashion show.

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In search of someone to teach him the art, Francis traipsed around Los Angeles looking for an internship.

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Related Words

• amble 
• lumber 
• meander 
• plod 
• prance 
• roam 
• stroll 
• strut 
• trudge 
• wander 

When To Use

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."