Booby traps can be harmless jokes or lethal military devices triggered by unsuspecting victims. The term originated from referring to idiots as “boobs” in the 17th century. Booby traps are often set off by routine activities and can be creative or complex. April Fools is a popular time for harmless pranks, while military booby traps aim to harm enemies and provide warnings. Landmines and improvised explosive devices are common examples of lethal booby traps used in armed conflicts.
A booby trap is something that is designed to be used when an unsuspecting victim interacts with it. Booby traps can be harmless jokes or they can be more serious. The key to a booby trap is that it usually requires some sort of mechanical sequence, and the person who activates it is unaware of what he or she has done until after the trap has been triggered.
People have been referring to idiots as “boobs” since the 17th century, and by the 19th century the sense of “booby-trapped” as a joke had emerged. The meaning of the term changed slightly in the 20th century as military campaigns began using lethal booby traps. Today the term is used in both senses.
Often, a booby trap is set off by a routine or harmless activity, such as walking down a path, opening a door, or sitting in a chair. In some cases, the trap may involve bait that attracts someone to the area. The action initiates a sequence of events that ends with the deployment of the booby trap. In a simple example of a booby trap, a bucket of water might be placed over a door and attached to a rope connected to the handle, so that when someone opens the door, the bucket tips over, pouring water all over the victim. In a more sinister example of the booby trap, soldiers could plant pressure-sensitive mines in a trail, so that when people stepped on the pressure plates, the mines exploded.
As a joke, booby-trapping is a time-honored tradition, and some pranksters enjoy devising fiendishly complex booby traps. April Fools is the best time to booby trap in a variety of creative ways, and people can also use practical jokes to prank people who move into new homes and engage in other important activities, such as getting married or buying a new car. Most booby traps are designed to be totally harmless, albeit humiliating to the victim, although sometimes a booby trap can go wrong.
The military trap is surely designed to be harmful. The goal is usually to incapacitate or demoralize the enemy and to provide warning that enemy soldiers are approaching. Booby traps are often placed in an area of heavily contested territory, both to keep people out and to provide a warning to guards should anyone attempt to enter that area. Landmines are a common example of booby traps used in armed conflict, as are improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
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