trip
noun
Trip — an unintentional stumble that becomes a small, visible embarrassment
Definition
An unintentional but embarrassing blunder; "he recited the whole poem without a single trip"; "he arranged his robes to avoid a trip-up later"; "confusion caused his unfortunate misstep"
In depth
In this figurative sense, a trip names an unintentional but embarrassing blunder, drawing directly on the literal physical sense of stumbling or losing one's footing. The word suggests a small, momentary loss of control, the kind of minor misstep that, while not seriously consequential, nonetheless draws brief, often sympathetic attention.
Origin
The word descends from Old French triper, to dance or skip about, related to a wider sense of quick, light footwork. That underlying image of light, quick motion, easily disrupted by an unexpected stumble, gives the figurative sense its particular emphasis on a momentary, almost graceful sequence briefly and visibly interrupted.
Usage examples
"He recited the whole poem without a single trip, a feat of memory that impressed even his harshest critics."
"Her only trip during the otherwise flawless presentation came at the very final slide."
"The interview proceeded smoothly until a single trip over an unexpected question briefly threw off her composure."
How to use it
Trip in this figurative sense works well across descriptions of speech, performance, and any situation involving a sequence that could be disrupted by a small, momentary error, suiting both literal and figurative contexts with equal ease.
Related concepts
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