Expressions used in Everyday Spoken English in Social and Professional contexts
trip up
trip up
Meaning(s)
1) make a mistake or cause someone else to
How to MemorizePopularity MediumProfessional MediumSocial
a problem can trip you up
Analysis
The phrasal verb 'trip up' means to make a mistake or to cause someone else to make a mistake. You can use this in both social and professional contexts and it is similar in meaning to 'slip up' or 'mess up'.
Social Examples (Advance)
I struggled in the job interview. A lot of the questions I was askedseemed designed to trip me up.
Sorry,I didn't mean to trip you upwhen I gave you the wrong address. It was an honest mistake.
Overall, I think I did well in the exam, but I knowI tripped up on a couple of questions.
Professional Examples (Basic)
Some of the interview questions are designed to trip up candidates who might be lying about their experience.
We tripped up over a few of the more difficult questions but overall the presentation was a success.
It is not like you to trip up over something so simple. Are you feeling alright today?