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  1. booby trap love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. n. An explosive device designed to be triggered when an unsuspecting victim touches or disturbs a seemingly harmless object.
  2. n. A situation that catches one off guard; a pitfall.

Wiktionary

  1. n. military An antipersonnel device deliberately hidden or disguised as a harmless object
  2. n. by extension An unforeseen source of danger; a pitfall

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. n. any concealed device causing surprise or injury when a usually harmless object is touched; -- in military operations, typically containing an explosive charge.

WordNet 3.0

  1. n. an explosive mine hidden underground; explodes when stepped on or driven over
  2. n. an unforeseen or unexpected or surprising difficulty

Etymologies

  1. From booby ("dunce, idiot"). (Wiktionary)

Examples

  • “A false-floor chamber was a fairly common booby trap in the ancient Egyptian world—mainly because it was very simple to build and exceedingly effective.”

    Simon & Schuster: Seven Deadly Wonders

  • “He had no intention of playing into whatever booby trap the Mosslander had prepared for him, but something had to be done, and he didn’t dare wait until morning to do it.”

    Conqueror's Moon

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hypernyms (1)

Words that are more generic or abstract

  1. difficulty

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‘booby trap’ has been looked up 1138 times, added to 5 lists, and is not a valid Scrabble word.