Meaning & use
tripwires
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“tripwires” is a form of “tripwire”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nouncountable
Thin wires or cords stretched across a path that set off an alarm, trap or explosive when someone touches them.
Grammar: Countable, used in the plural when there are several: they laid tripwires.
Patterns
- set tripwires
- trigger a tripwire
The soldiers placed tripwires around the camp to warn of intruders.
Hidden tripwires set off the alarm in the old building.
Hunters sometimes use tripwires to trigger cameras.
nouncountablefigurative
Warning signs or limits that, once crossed, cause automatic action, such as an alert in a system or a reaction in politics.
Grammar: Countable and figurative, often plural: legal tripwires.
Patterns
- tripwires in something
- tripwires for something
The contract contains several tripwires that end the deal if profits fall.
Diplomats try to avoid tripwires that could lead to conflict.
The bank set up tripwires to flag unusual transactions.
Word forms
| singular | tripwire |
|---|
Common combinations
- set tripwires
- They set tripwires along the fence.
- trigger a tripwire
- A deer triggered the tripwire and the camera flashed.
- hidden tripwires
- The report warned of hidden tripwires in the law.
- legal tripwires
- Companies must avoid legal tripwires when hiring.
- cross a tripwire
- The country crossed a tripwire by moving its troops.
Synonyms and how they differ
- booby traps
- Booby traps are devices designed to harm or surprise, while tripwires simply set something off, such as an alarm.
- triggers
- Triggers are anything that starts a reaction, while tripwires are specifically thin lines or limits that start it when crossed.
- red lines
- Red lines are stated limits that bring a response if crossed, but they are declared, while tripwires are often hidden.
- pitfalls
- Pitfalls are dangers or mistakes to avoid, with no sense of an automatic response.
Word family
Commonly confused: tripwires or red lines?
tripwires vs red lines
Red lines are publicly stated limits, whereas tripwires work automatically once crossed and may be unannounced.
Practice
The treaty included automatic penalties if either side crossed certain limits. These limits worked as ___.
Choose one answer.
Tripwires are limits that automatically set off a response when crossed. The other nouns do not describe automatic triggers.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tripwires”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.