trip

Trip is a word with several related but distinct meanings in English. In everyday usage, a trip refers to a journey from one location to another undertaken for work, leisure, or visiting someone. Trips are typically shorter than extended vacations, but the term can apply to any excursion, including day trips and weekend getaways.

Planning a trip usually involves selecting a destination, arranging transportation and accommodation, budgeting, and considering safety and travel advisories. Common trip types include business trips, family visits, road trips, backpacking journeys, and guided tours. Duration can range from a few hours to several weeks, and experiences depend on logistics, culture, and personal preferences.

In pharmacology and popular culture, "trip" also describes the subjective experience produced by psychedelic substances such as LSD, psilocybin, or other agents. A trip may include changes in perception, mood, and sense of time, as well as vivid imagery. Experiences vary with dose, setting, and individual factors, and can be either pleasant or distressing (a "bad trip"). Legal status and safety considerations vary by jurisdiction, and use carries risk.

In technical contexts, "trip" can denote the act of a protective device stopping circuit operation, such as a circuit breaker tripping due to a fault. The term also appears in phrases like "trip wire" or "trip point" in sensing and safety systems.