trespass

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈtɹɛspæs/, /ˈtɹæspæs/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English trespassen, borrowed from Old French trespasser (“to pass beyond or across; to violate”),^{[2][3][4][5][6]} from Old French tres- (“beyond, across”) + passer (“to pass”),^{[2][3][4][5][6]} the prefix from Latin trāns (“across”).^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Earliest recorded meaning

A transgression, offence or sin (c. 1290);^[7][3][4] as a verb, “to transgress, to sin” (1303).^[7][3][4]

Semantic evolution

The religious sense survives in the Lord's Prayer, “forgive us our trespasses”.^[1][4] In law the word meant any violation not amounting to felony (c. 1290),^[7][4] and then an actionable wrong against a person or property.^[7] The specific sense of wrongful entry on another's land dates from about 1455,^[7][3][4] first in the forest laws.^[3][4] From 1652 the verb is used figuratively for intruding on someone's time or patience.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 1290 – a sin or offence; in law, a violation.^[7][3][4]
• 1303 – verb, to sin.^[7][3]
• c. 1455 – wrongful entry onto land.^[7][3][4]
• 1652 – verb, to intrude on someone's time or patience.^[7]
• 1769 – noun, an encroachment.^[7]

Modern meaning

Verb

1. To enter another's land or property without right; also, to commit any unlawful injury to another's person, property or rights.
2. To intrude on someone's privacy, time or attention, often with on or upon.
3. (archaic) To commit an offence or sin; to transgress.

Noun

1. The act of trespassing; especially, a wrongful entry onto another's land.
2. (law) An action brought for trespassing.
3. An intrusion or infringement.
4. A transgression of a moral or social law; a sin.

Word family

• trespasser

Related words

• traipse
• transgress
• pass
• encroach
• infringe
• intrude

Usage notes

Random House distinguishes trespass, passing unlawfully onto another's property, from encroach, creeping gradually and often stealthily on territory or rights, infringe, breaking in on rights by violating them, and intrude, thrusting oneself in where one is not welcome.^[6]

References

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