This verb means to trap or ensnare someone, typically through cunning or deception. Matthew uses it to describe the Pharisees' deliberate strategy to catch Jesus in his words. The term derives from 'snare' (παγίς) and evokes hunting imagery—setting a trap to capture prey. Across languages, the trapping metaphor persists: Spanish 'atraparan,' French 'prendre au piège.' The word implies calculated intent, not spontaneous challenge, and suggests the trappers view their target as adversarial game to be caught.