tripwire

[ trip-wahyuhr ]

noun

1. a wire used to set off concealed explosives, as one stretched across a footpath to be struck and activated by the foot of an enemy soldier.
2. a wire that activates a trap, camera, or other device when stepped on, tripped trip on, or otherwise disturbed.

tripwire

/ ˈtrɪpˌwaɪə /

noun

1. a wire that activates a trap, mine, etc, when tripped over

Word History and Origins

Origin of tripwire¹

trip ¹ + wire

Example Sentences

According to an FBI internal document, the bureau relied on information from at least one undercover operative who sought to use local religious organizations as “new avenues for tripwire and source development.”

From Washington Times

“The U.S. military presence is not only unnecessary but also a dangerous tripwire for a wider war,” said Daniel DePetris, a fellow with the think tank Defense Priorities, which advocates for a more limited U.S. military role abroad.

From Washington Times

He said they planned to add a tripwire sensor that would trigger if the lake was about to burst.

From Reuters

“The incentive it creates for educators is to err on the side of caution by avoiding anything that might be the tripwire,” Nossel says.

From Los Angeles Times

"I remember I got into a trench, and I think there was a tripwire", he says.

From BBC