trespass

[tres-puhs, -pas]

noun

1. Law.

   1. an unlawful act causing injury to the person, property, or rights of another, committed with force or violence, actual or implied.

   2. a wrongful entry upon the lands of another.

   3. the action to recover damages for such an injury.

2. an encroachment or intrusion.

3. an offense, sin, or wrong.

verb (used without object)

1. Law.,  to commit a trespass.

2. to encroach on a person's privacy, time, etc.; infringe (usually followed by on orupon ).

3. to commit a transgression or offense; transgress; offend; sin.

trespass

/ ˈtrɛspəs /

verb

1. to go or intrude (on the property, privacy, or preserves of another) with no right or permission

2. law to commit trespass, esp to enter wrongfully upon land belonging to another

3. archaic,  (often foll by against) to sin or transgress

noun

1. law

   1. any unlawful act committed with force or violence, actual or implied, which causes injury to another person, his property, or his rights

   2. a wrongful entry upon another's land

   3. an action to recover damages for such injury or wrongful entry

2. an intrusion on another's privacy or preserves

3. a sin or offence

Other Word Forms

• trespasser noun
• nontrespass noun
• untrespassed adjective
• untrespassing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of trespass¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; (noun) Middle English trespas “transgression, offense,” from Old French, derivative of trespasser, equivalent to tres- (from Latin trāns- trans- ) + passer “to pass” ( pass ); (verb) Middle English trespassen, derivative of the noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of trespass¹

C13: from Old French trespas a passage, from trespasser to pass through, from tres- _trans- + passer , ultimately from Latin passus a _pace ¹

Synonym Study

Trespass , encroach , infringe , intrude imply overstepping boundaries and assuming possession of others' property or crowding onto the right of others. To trespass is to pass unlawfully within the boundaries of another's property: Hunters trespass on a farmer's fields. To encroach is to creep, gradually and often stealthily, upon territory, rights, or privileges, so that a footing is imperceptibly established: The sea slowly encroached upon the land. To infringe is to break in upon or invade rights, customs, or the like, by violating or disregarding them: to infringe upon a patent. To intrude is to thrust oneself into the presence of a person or into places or circumstances where one is not welcome: to intrude into a private conversation.

Example Sentences

Last October, a 52-year-old farmer in Trawden took the law into his own hands on his land, tying up two people he accused of trespassing.

From BBC

Another 8% reported being cited for another reason related to trespassing.

From Salon

Court records show that Carver faces counts of criminal trespass, disorderly conduct and public indecency.

From Los Angeles Times

It is also inaccessible —unless visitors trespass more than a mile on on the tracks or wade across the river.

From Los Angeles Times

But on a recent afternoon, while heading out to check on a water tank, he was stopped by Border Patrol agents who warned him he was trespassing on military land.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• encroach 
• intrude 
• invade 
• misbehave 
• overstep 
• poach 
• violate