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# pitfall

noun (a pitfall, pitfalls)

«pitfall» in the English dictionary: in the primary school — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## In the primary school

Source: Mova's pupils' dictionary. Licence: [Elamur Cosmic License](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/docs/LICENSE/). Reviewed: the dictionary the pupils of Mova's primary school read; its examples quote the lessons and public-domain tales. Ships with Mova.

### Meaning

1. A hidden danger or difficulty that is easy to miss: "the pitfalls of online shopping".
2. (old) A pit dug and covered so that animals or enemies fall into it, a trap.

### In the lessons

In school, teachers warn about common pitfalls in maths (forgetting to carry the one) or in writing. In online safety, pitfalls include scams and fake websites. In history, pitfall traps were used for hunting. Phrases: avoid the pitfalls, common pitfalls.

### Examples

- A common pitfall is forgetting the units in your answer.
- Learn the pitfalls of sharing photos online.
- The guide explains how to avoid the pitfalls of camping.
- Hunters dug pitfalls to catch animals.
- One pitfall in subtraction is taking the smaller digit from the larger.
- Every new job has its pitfalls.

### Note

Countable; usually plural "pitfalls". One word. In maths it means a typical mistake; for example, in 52 - 17, a pitfall is writing 45 instead of 35 by subtracting 2 from 7.