noun / verb
trespass
TRES-pas/ˈtrespæs/
Crossing onto another's property without permission.
Hikers trespass when they cross private land without the owner's permission.
Etymology
Literally “pass beyond,” trespass developed the sense of crossing a permitted limit or violating a rule. In property law, this became entering another person's land without permission.
In context
Miss Lou, you've got some nerve coming here alone [snorts] to trespass on my paramount turf.
More examples
- Entering the fenced lot without permission is trespass.
- We avoid trespassing by staying on the public trail.
- She trespassed on her neighbor's land while taking a shortcut.
Forms
trespass · trespasses · trespassed · trespassing
trespasser noun — Someone who enters another's property without permission.
Similar words
- intrusion
- Broader unwanted entry, including invasions of privacy rather than property.
- encroachment
- Gradual extension onto another's property, rather than simply entering it.