A vehicle, building, or place that is in such bad condition that it's extremely dangerous and could cause someone to get seriously hurt or killed.
A compound word from 'death' (Old English 'deaþ') and 'trap' (a device to catch something). It became common slang in the early 1900s to describe dangerous old cars, buildings, and structures.
Early automobiles were actually nicknamed 'deathtraps' because they lacked seatbelts, brakes, or safety features—now we use the word for old cars, but it's funny how modern cars would seem miraculous to drivers from 100 years ago.
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