Tripped

The past tense and past participle of the verb 'trip,' meaning to lose one's balance or to stumble, typically because of catching one's foot on something or making a misstep. Figuratively, 'tripped' can also describe making a mistake, experiencing a sudden, often unexpected experience (like a hallucination), or activating a mechanism. It implies a brief loss of control or composure, whether physical or mental, and the consequence is usually a fall, a delay, or a shift in perception. The intensity of the experience can range from a minor stumble to a complete loss of control, depending on context.

Tripped meaning with examples

• As she hurried through the park, she tripped over a loose paving stone, sprawling onto the grass. She scraped her knee but thankfully nothing else was broken. The fall startled some nearby birds, which flew up into the trees. This made her feel clumsy.
• The detective tripped up on his first investigation when he mistakenly accused the wrong person. Due to inexperience he had misread the evidence which caused the criminal to go free and cause more harm. He learned quickly from this mistake.
• After taking the prescribed medicine, the patient tripped visually as if everything around them was suddenly distorted, causing a temporary sense of panic. The world seemed to melt around them. They had to call for help.
• The car's alarm system was accidentally tripped by a stray soccer ball that bounced into the vehicle causing a loud, annoying sound that reverberated through the neighborhood. It took the owner several minutes to disarm it.
• During the negotiations, the politician tripped over his words, and he struggled to explain his complex ideas to the opposition. This minor failure of verbal ability allowed his opponents to take advantage of the situation in the debate.