fall into the trap

fall into the trap of (doing something)

To succumb to doing something foolish or irresponsible. After college, I fell into the trap of using credit cards, and I've been deep in debt ever since.
See also: fall, of, trap
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

fall into the trap

COMMON If someone falls into the trap of doing something, they make a very common mistake, or one that is very easy to make. School administrators often fall into the trap of thinking that discipline problems are the cause of low levels of achievement. I refuse to fall into the trap of washing his dishes for him.
See also: fall, trap
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • fall into the trap of (doing something)
  • fool and his money are soon parted
  • fool and his money are soon parted, a
  • parted
  • a fool and his money are soon parted
  • succumb
  • succumb to
  • succumb to (something)
  • from the sublime to the ridiculous
  • talk (oneself) out of (something)
References in classic literature
I upbraided myself for my absurd superstition, which had caused me to fall into the trap. I felt inclined to laugh and to cry at the same time.
Phantom of the Opera
'I told the team that we should not fall into the trap that we are a good offensive team and not repeat the things that we did last game,' Pirates head coach Topex Robinson said.
NCAA: Lyceum demolishes winless JRU
The VC also requested students not to fall into the trap of such information and focus on examinations.
AMU VC asks students 'don't fall prey to lies spread by media'
Political work must not fall into the trap of sectarianism, His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa stressed.
PROTECTING BAHRAIN
I don't want to fall into the trap of making lewd jokes about Harry Potter's "magic wand" but it's hard to resist.
Xratedleviosa! Dan's magic new film role
You fall into the trap that equality of opportunity should lead to equality of outcome, the fallacy that led to the ideologically driven destruction of the UK's meritocratic secondary education system.
Keep girls' options open
It is sadly all too easy to fall into the trap of believing that there is no hope for the economy but JLR''s announcement of increased sales and job recruitment puts paid to the lie.
Hard work triumphs; You Say Email:letters@liverpoolecho.co.uk
GERMANY star Mesut Ozil has refused to fall into the trap of eyeing a "dream final" against Spain at the European Championship but was confident of ending his country's Italy jinx.
Ozil keeps focus on semi-final
We will not fall into the trap of undemocratic forces, the Prime Minister said.
PPP will not take any undemocratic step during Punjab budget: PM Gilani
The Prime Minister reiterated that PPP would not allow derailment of democracy for which the party and its founding fathers had rendered innumerable sacrifices."We will not fall into the trap of undemocratic forces," the Prime Minister said.
PPP not to adopt unparliamentarily tactics during presentation of Punjab Budget
Porto are unlikely to fall into the trap but they may need patience.
Porto face a game of patience
It's easy to fall into the trap of looking after number one.
thought for the day
By borrowing something from the bad tradition of the restrictive politics, the governments fall into the trap of too high ambitions to introduce order through "propaganda tyranny." Has the outgoing Macedonian Government fallen into such a trap," Azemi wonders.
Summer of protests
WHEN discussing the green economy and green jobs, we mustn't fall into the trap of seeing them as if they are something different to the economy as a whole.
Challenges of a green economy
"I then tie a female bird under the bag and wait for male birds to fall into the trap before pulling the rope" Rihani explains.
Amid crackdown on rifles, southern hunter uses the lure of sex to trap his birds