tripping

[ trip-ing ]

adjective

1. light and quick, as a step or pace.
2. proceeding with a light, easy movement or rhythm.

Other Words From

• tripping·ly adverb
• un·tripping adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tripping¹

First recorded in 1555–65; trip ¹ + -ing ²

Example Sentences

I kept tripping over a man carrying a large wooden cross.

From Slate

The leading cause of fatalities for farmworkers is transportation accidents, and the leading causes of nonfatal injuries are equipment, falling and tripping, and overexertion.

From Los Angeles Times

Alongside shots of my dog and gym selfies, my phone’s camera roll is filled with photos of gravestones of all shapes, sizes, and materials: massive granite monuments fit for the Chicago industrialists buried underneath them, humble flat markers that I’m prone to tripping over, and sandstone slabs so worn down by centuries of sun, rain, and snow that there’s no telling who’s buried there.

From Slate

So “slipping away” is a line in the song “Tripping.”

From Los Angeles Times

To me, it had two meanings — one is a positive, of letting go, being open, tripping, losing yourself.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• intoxicated
• ripped
• tipsy
• wasted