spring-guns

My husband was a connoisseur in man-traps and spring-guns and such articles, collecting them from all his neighbors.

The Woodlanders 2006

Life becomes a series of petty embarrassments and restrictions, something is always going wrong, and the man finds his fireside oppressive, -- the various articles of his parlor and table seem like so many temper-traps and spring-guns, menacing explosion and disaster.

The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 13, No. 77, March, 1864 Various

But though there were times when Mr. Hazeldean grunted and growled, and swore "that he would shut up the park, and fill it (illegally) with man-traps and spring-guns," his anger always evaporated in words.

The International Magazine, Volume 2, No. 3, February, 1851 Various

"Man-traps and spring-guns are fictions my lad," said Philip Harcourt, a boy of much the same turn as John, not easily persuaded any way; "Now for it, over Parker; be quick, man," and over he jumped.

Emilie the Peacemaker Mrs. Thomas Geldart

I learnt that he had been a man of fashion, and at one time largely concerned in adventures on the turf, but that for many years he had devoted himself to his present pursuits; while for some time past, he had been inaccessible and invisible to the world, the house being shut and barricadoed, and the walls of his grounds protected by hurdles, with spring-guns so planted as to resist intrusion in every direction.

The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 12, No. 342, November 22, 1828 Various

On the other side, for uniformity’s sake, was a precautionary annunciation of spring-guns and man-traps of such formidable power, that, said the rubric, with an emphatic nota bene—‘if a man goes in, they will break a horse’s leg.

Chapter VII 1917

We shall quote a very instructive saying of Landor's: 'I read warily; and whenever I find the writings of a lady, the first thing I do is to cast my eye along her pages, to see whether I am likely to be annoyed by the traps and spring-guns of interjections; and if I happen to espy them I do not leap the paling'.

Grammar & Punctuation. 1908

The Game-Laws were horribly oppressive; steel-traps and spring-guns were set all over the country; prisoners tried for their lives could have no counsel.

Sydney Smith Rusell, George W E 1904

He did not believe in anything so far-fetched as man-traps and spring-guns.

Hugo A Fantasia on Modern Themes Arnold Bennett 1899

My husband was a connoisseur in man-traps and spring-guns and such articles, collecting them from all his neighbors.

The Woodlanders Thomas Hardy 1884