leghold trap

noun

leg·​hold trap ˈleg-ˌhōld- How to pronounce leghold trap (audio)
 also  ˈlāg-
: a jawed usually steel trap that is used to hold a wild mammal and operates by springing closed and clamping onto the leg of the animal that steps on it

Examples of leghold trap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The team used a padded leghold trap with bait. Julia Musto, Fox News, 14 Mar. 2021 The theatrics were typical of Rep. Young, who once stuck his hand in a steel-jaw leghold trap until his fingers turned blue, while arguing that such traps weren’t painful to animals. Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'leghold trap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of leghold trap was in 1941

Dictionary Entries Near leghold trap

Cite this Entry

“Leghold trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leghold%20trap. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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