noun
- A small military force that serves as a first line of defense; if they become engaged in hostilities it will trigger the intervention of stronger military forces.
- A wire stretched close to the ground that activates something (a trap or camera or weapon) when tripped over. .
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
| APA | WordNet. (2010). trip wire. Retrieved September 20, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/trip_wire/definitions/1209238 |
| Chicago | WordNet. 2010. "trip wire" http://smartdefine.org/trip_wire/definitions/1209238 (accessed September 20, 2026). |
| Harvard | WordNet 2010, trip wire, Smart Define, viewed 20 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/trip_wire/definitions/1209238>. |
| MLA | WordNet. "trip wire" 23 October 2010. Web. 20 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/trip_wire/definitions/1209238> |