tryst

[ trist, trahyst ]

noun

1. an appointment to meet at a certain time and place, especially one made somewhat secretly by lovers.

   Synonyms: rendezvous, assignation

2. an appointed meeting.

   Synonyms: rendezvous, assignation

3. an appointed place of meeting.

   Synonyms: rendezvous

verb (used with object)

1. Chiefly Scot. to make an appointment or arrange a meeting with.

verb (used without object)

1. Chiefly Scot. to make an appointment or agreement.

tryst

/ traɪst; trɪst /

noun

1. an appointment to meet, esp secretly
2. the place of such a meeting or the meeting itself

verb

1. intr to meet at or arrange a tryst

Derived Forms

• ˈtryster, noun

Other Words From

• tryster noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of tryst¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English triste “appointed hunting-station,” from Old French, from Germanic; compare Gothic trausti “agreement, arrangement,” akin to Middle English trist “confidence,” Old English tryst (unrecorded); trow, trust

Word History and Origins

Origin of tryst¹

C14: from Old French triste lookout post, apparently of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse traust trust

Example Sentences

Or when in the midst of an uncomfortably aggressive tryst, Franklin forced Tara to take a bite out of his jugular.

From The Daily Beast

Their tryst, however, is broken up several times by messages playing from the answering machine and never comes to fruition.

From The Daily Beast

The video follows the twosome on their romantic tryst, from canoodling in bed to riding carefree in a convertible.

From The Daily Beast

Did the controversial stairwell tryst on Thursday night's 'Reign' premiere leave you hot and bothered?

From The Daily Beast

To LaVette, their affair was a tryst, but Redding wanted to marry her, even though his girlfriend at home was pregnant.

From The Daily Beast

And, at this first tryst in the sunshine, she was to set our wedding day.

From Project Gutenberg

The priest, again consulted, advised compliance; and the man went trembling to the tryst.

From Project Gutenberg

But if it failed—well, it would break her heart, but she'd have to keep the tryst, no matter what it cost her.

From Project Gutenberg

Some day he might stumble upon some tryst, or open a letter, or overhear a gossip's careless word.

From Project Gutenberg

In Hawthornes Transformation some of the principal characters keep a tryst under this same statue.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• assignation
• rendezvous