trespass

[ tres-puhs, -pas ]

See synonyms for: trespass trespassing trespasser on Thesaurus.com

noun

Law.
- an unlawful act causing injury to the person, property, or rights of another, committed with force or violence, actual or implied.
- a wrongful entry upon the lands of another.
- the action to recover damages for such an injury.
an encroachment or intrusion.

an offense, sin, or wrong.

verb (used without object)

Law. to commit a trespass.
to encroach on a person's privacy, time, etc.; infringe (usually followed by on or upon).

to commit a transgression or offense; transgress; offend; sin.

Origin of trespass

First recorded in 1250–1300; (noun) Middle English trespas “transgression, offense,” from Old French, derivative of trespasser, equivalent to tres- (from Latin trāns-trans-) + passer “to pass” (see pass); (verb) Middle English trespassen, derivative of the noun

synonym study For trespass

4, 5. Trespass , encroach , infringe , intrude imply overstepping boundaries and assuming possession of others' property or crowding onto the right of others. To trespass is to pass unlawfully within the boundaries of another's property: Hunters trespass on a farmer's fields. To encroach is to creep, gradually and often stealthily, upon territory, rights, or privileges, so that a footing is imperceptibly established: The sea slowly encroached upon the land. To infringe is to break in upon or invade rights, customs, or the like, by violating or disregarding them: to infringe upon a patent. To intrude is to thrust oneself into the presence of a person or into places or circumstances where one is not welcome: to intrude into a private conversation.

Other words from trespass

tres·pass·er, noun
non·tres·pass, noun
un·tres·passed, adjective
un·tres·pass·ing, adjective

Words Nearby trespass

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use trespass in a sentence

Less than an hour later, the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office and district attorney told her attorneys they would not enforce the trespass warning.
A Texas woman who works with indigent defendants says she was arrested in retaliation for her work | Radley Balko | August 24, 2021 | Washington Post
Ibrahim was not part of, affiliated with nor participatory in any trespass or violent acts and vehemently denounces them.
DEA agent trespassed at Capitol on Jan. 6 and lied about it, prosecutors say | Rachel Weiner | July 21, 2021 | Washington Post
When arrested, suspects would receive “suspension citations” in writing that include the reason for the action, the length of the ban, the date the ban begins and a notice that violators would face criminal trespass charges.
Metro Transit Police propose ban on passengers arrested for a sex or firearms offense | Justin George | July 13, 2021 | Washington Post
For those who merely entered and then left the Capitol, “It’s a trespass!”
Hundreds of people stormed the Capitol. Most won’t face hefty prison terms, legal experts say. | Tom Jackman, Spencer Hsu | May 13, 2021 | Washington Post
Once the staff noticed the discrepancy with their birthdays listed on their driver’s licenses, the women, 44 and 34, were referred to deputies, who issued trespass warnings against them, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said.
Two young women in Florida ‘dressed up as grannies’ to get vaccinated, health official says | Meryl Kornfield | February 19, 2021 | Washington Post

To do so would be an ethical trespass, and many would likely stop prescribing the drug altogether.
The Triumph of Bureaucracy Over Abortion Rights | Michelle Goldberg | September 9, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
When Palestinians allegedly trespass on public property in the West Bank, removing them becomes a pressing national priority.
Bibi Grows a Backbone | Gershom Gorenberg | January 14, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
So much for that: trespass, directed by Joel Schumacher, could very well be her corniest movie yet.
The Best Olsen Yet and Watch Other Movie Reviews | Ramin Setoodeh | October 21, 2011 | THE DAILY BEAST
But the trespass provisions were removed from the law before it was voted on by the Arizona legislature.
Why Obama Should Sue Arizona | Adam Winkler | May 28, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
If a person knocked me down and I sued him to recover for the injury, trespass would be the proper form of action.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman | Albert Sidney Bolles
In many states an action in tort instead of trespass is the proper remedy.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman | Albert Sidney Bolles
Why do people put up such signs as “Keep off,” “Do not trespass”?
The Later Cave-Men | Katharine Elizabeth Dopp
They shall eat the victim both for sin and for trespass: and every vowed thing in Israel shall be theirs.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | Various
I am sorry to inform you that I shall be forced to trespass a few days beyond the precise term which I had fixed.
Private Letters of Edward Gibbon (1753-1794) Volume 1 (of 2) | Edward Gibbon

British Dictionary definitions for trespass

trespass

/ (ˈtrɛspəs) /

verb(intr)

(often foll by on or upon) to go or intrude (on the property, privacy, or preserves of another) with no right or permission
law to commit trespass, esp to enter wrongfully upon land belonging to another

archaic (often foll by against) to sin or transgress

noun

law
- any unlawful act committed with force or violence, actual or implied, which causes injury to another person, his property, or his rights
- a wrongful entry upon another's land
- an action to recover damages for such injury or wrongful entry
an intrusion on another's privacy or preserves

a sin or offence

Origin of trespass

C13: from Old French trespas a passage, from trespasser to pass through, from tres- trans- + passer, ultimately from Latin passus a pace 1

Derived forms of trespass

trespasser, noun

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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