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honey trap
or hon·ey·trap
[ huhn-ee-trap ]
noun
- an investigative technique that tests the fidelity of a spouse or significant other by attempting to lure them into a romantic or sexual liaison:
The private eye used a classic honey trap to get evidence that her husband was cheating.
- a scenario in espionage whereby an agent enters into a romantic or sexual relationship with a civilian and seeks to leverage that intimacy to coerce or blackmail the target or to discover secret information.
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Word History and Origins
Origin of honey trap1
First recorded in 1970–75; popularized by John le Carré in his novel Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ( 1974 )
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Example Sentences
He brought us “honey trap,” “scalphunters,” “babysitters,” and “lamplighters.”
From The Daily Beast
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