From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishset a trapset a trapa) HBAto make a trap ready to catch an animal b) TRICK/DECEIVEto invent a plan to try and catch someone who is doing something wrong They decided to set a trap for him by leaving him in charge. → set
Examples from the Corpus
set a trap• She must remember to tell Mrs Cooke to set a trap.• She sets a trap and sets off a series of events that entangle household, family and friends.• The cheaters were caught when one teacher set a trap by casually leaving a copy of the test on her desk.• It may be necessary to set a trap for him.• Beatrix had set a trap for Maurice and he had walked straight into it.• They are setting a trap for me, she decided.• So Gharr no only had Mala but also knew our pod and had set a trap for me.• Or, you can set traps for them to prevent then from reaching the pots to lay their eggs. 