trespass

[tres-puhs, -pas]

noun

1. Law.

   1. an unlawful act causing injury to the person, property, or rights of another, committed with force or violence, actual or implied.

   2. a wrongful entry upon the lands of another.

   3. the action to recover damages for such an injury.

2. an encroachment or intrusion.

3. an offense, sin, or wrong.

verb (used without object)

1. Law.,  to commit a trespass.

2. to encroach on a person's privacy, time, etc.; infringe (usually followed by on orupon ).

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

trespass

/ ˈtrɛspəs /

verb

1. to go or intrude (on the property, privacy, or preserves of another) with no right or permission

2. law to commit trespass, esp to enter wrongfully upon land belonging to another

3. archaic,  (often foll by against) to sin or transgress

noun

1. law

   1. any unlawful act committed with force or violence, actual or implied, which causes injury to another person, his property, or his rights

   2. a wrongful entry upon another's land

   3. an action to recover damages for such injury or wrongful entry

2. an intrusion on another's privacy or preserves

3. a sin or offence

Other Word Forms

• trespasser noun
• nontrespass noun
• untrespassed adjective
• untrespassing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of trespass¹

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” ( pass ); (verb) Middle English trespassen, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of trespass¹

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

Synonym Study

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.

Example Sentences

This year marks his 100th, but a temporary fence, with graffiti sprayed on the “no trespassing” signs, now stands in the way of anyone who might be inclined to mark the day here.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

On Dec. 18, 2023, Mitlyng went to see Pierre in jail in a nearby county, where he was being held on a trespassing charge.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

On Thursday, Alford was charged with burglary, peeking, invading privacy, possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of ammunition by a felon and trespassing, according to court records.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Ms. Davison had worked to restore order on Seattle’s streets by prosecuting more misdemeanors such as shoplifting and trespassing.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Khrushchev, as always, had a story at the ready, telling the crowd that Eisenhower and his U-2 pilot reminded him of a trespassing cat.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• encroach 
• intrude 
• invade 
• misbehave 
• overstep 
• poach 
• violate