trespass
Meaning
to enter someone's land or property without their permission.
to do something wrong, especially to commit a sin or break a moral law.
the act of trespassing, especially on someone's land.
a sin or offence against a moral or religious law.
Structure
Usage
the sign clearly warned that anyone who trespassed on the private beach would be prosecuted.
in his sermon, the priest spoke about the human tendency to trespass against one's neighbors.
the farmer was angry about the trespass and the damage caused to his fence.
Etymology
The word trespass entered English in the 13th century via Anglo-French "trespasser", meaning "to pass beyond or across". It is a compound of the Old French elements "tres" (across) and "passer" (to go). The literal sense of "crossing a boundary" evolved into the legal and moral meanings of unlawfully entering another's property or transgressing a limit set by law or divine command. This semantic shift from a physical act of crossing to an abstract violation of a rule illustrates a common pattern in the development of legal and religious terminology.
Analysis
"tres" is from old french "tres", meaning "across" or "beyond", ultimately from latin "trans". "pass" is from old french "passer", meaning "to step" or "to go", from latin "passus" (step, pace).