trip up
Make someone falter
To trip up is to stumble or cause someone to stumble—literally over an obstacle, or figuratively by making an error.
A difficult question might trip you up on an exam.
Someone can trip up by misspeaking or forgetting a detail.
To trip someone up is to catch them in a mistake or expose a flaw in their reasoning.
Foolish, costly mistake
- fumbleHandle with clumsy fingers
- gaffeClumsy social error
- faux pasSocial misstep or indiscretion
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
slip · flub · mishap · botch · goof · error · misjudgment · bungle
Device for catching prey
- ensnareCatch by trickery
- catch outExpose a deception
- entangleTwist into confusion
- trickDeliberate deception
ambush · deceive · outsmart · outwit · entrap · bait · lure · corner
Lose momentum or steadiness
- slipMinor error or misstep
- tumbleUncontrolled rolling descent
- staggerWalk unsteadily, sway
- lurchAbrupt unsteady movement
wobble · fall · topple · sprawl · flounder · lose balance · skid
Obstacle causing difficulty
- hurdleBarrier to leap over
- hindranceBarrier to progress
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
- pitfallHidden danger or drawback
roadblock · barrier · complication · snag · hitch · difficulty · challenge · setback
blunder
Foolish, costly mistake
oversight · slip · flub · mishap · botch · goof · error · misjudgment · bungle · miscalculation
snare
Device for catching prey
trick · ambush · deceive · outsmart · outwit · entrap · bait · lure · corner · foil
falter
Lose momentum or steadiness
lurch · wobble · fall · topple · sprawl · flounder · lose balance · skid
stumbling block
Obstacle causing difficulty
- hurdleBarrier to leap over
- hindranceBarrier to progress
- impedimentThing that obstructs progress
pitfall · roadblock · barrier · complication · snag · hitch · difficulty · challenge · setback · catch
- clumsinessclumsiness, clumsy, awkwardness, fumble, slip
- embarrassmentembarrassed, blush, humiliated, mortify, mortified
- mishapsmishap, accident, mistake, blunder, error
- mistakesmistake, mistakes, slip, error, errors
- dirty tacticsdirty trick, dirty tricks, dirty pool, foul play, cheap shot
trip uppave the way
Prepare conditions for advancement
ease · expedite · help along · advance · propel
trip upclarify
Make something understandable
enlighten · illuminate · explain · straighten out · set straight
trip, up, stumble, trips, tripping, misstep, tripped, tripper, trippers