traipse

Pronunciation

• IPA: /tɹeɪps/^[1]

Etymology

Its origin is unknown.^[2][3][4] Barnhart and Etymonline suggest dialectal French trepasser “to pass over or beyond”, from Old French trespasser “to cross”, the source of trespass,^[4][5] though the senses do not fit exactly.^[4] Etymonline also mentions Middle Dutch trappen “to tread”,^[5] and Random House relates it obscurely to tramp.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

To walk in a trailing or untidy way, as through mud (1593, implied in trapesing).^[4][5][7]

Semantic evolution

A noun trapes “a slovenly woman” is recorded from 1676.^[7][5] The verb came to mean to walk about aimlessly or tiresomely,^[5][6] and from 1885 to tramp over a place.^[7] The noun meaning a tiring walk is from 1862.^[7]

Timeline

• 1593 – to walk in a trailing way.^[4][7]
• 1647 – Merriam-Webster's date.^[3]
• 1676 – noun, a slovenly woman.^[7]
• 1862 – noun, a tiresome walk.^[7]
• 1885 – to tramp over.^[7]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. To walk or wander about, often aimlessly or wearily; to gad.
2. To walk over or through a place.

Noun

1. A long or tiring walk.

Related words

• trespass
• tramp
• trudge

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
4. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
5. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press