Definition of trample

The origins of the word "trample" can be traced back to Old English, where it was spelled as " tramlan ". The verb's basic meaning in Old English was "to crush underfoot" or "to press down hard". It evolved from the Proto-Germanic root *thramul--, which had a similar meaning. In Middle English, the spelling of "trample" became " trimple ", and its usage expanded to include other senses such as "to press down on" or "to crush in a press". By the late Middle English period, the spelling began to shift again, now resembling the modern-day form "trample" with the "tr-" prefix indicating intensity or force. The meaning of the word "trample" today encompasses both literal and figurative senses, such as crushing or squashing something with one's feet, or metaphorically " trampling on" someone's rights or sensibilities. Its historical development, from a simple "to crush underfoot" to a more figurative usage, reflects the evolution of English as a language that has absorbed and adapted words from a variety of sources over the centuries.