pitfall

First recorded use in the 14th century from pit +‎ fall in the sense of "pit trap, pit snare", from Old English fealle (“trap, snare”), from Proto-Germanic *fallą, *fallaz (“a fall, trap”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pōl-. Cognate with German Falle (“trap, snare”).

• (UK) enPR: pĭtʹfôl, IPA^(key): /ˈpɪtfɔːl/
• (US) enPR: pĭtʹfäl, IPA^(key): /ˈpɪtfɔl/

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pitfall (plural pitfalls)

1. (figurative) A potential, unsuspected, hidden problem, hazard, or danger that is easily encountered but not immediately obvious.

   Synonym: trap

   It's usually a simple task, but you should know the pitfalls before you attempt it yourself.

2. (literal) A type of trap consisting of a concealed pit in the ground, which the victim is supposed to fall into and not be able to get out from.

   Synonym: trapping pit

3. (computing) An antipattern.

   Synonyms: antipattern, dark pattern

4. (mining) Subsidence below ground in a mine, which can cause the ground level above to drop.
   • 1939 June, “Pertinent Paragraphs: Pitfalls”, in Railway Magazine, page 456:

     This pitfall, beginning in February and finishing in May, resulted in a drop of about 3 ft. in the platform level; during this period it was necessary to level the track three times weekly, and impose a service slack of 15 m.p.h. The subsidence appears now to have finished, and normal speed is once again permitted.

• ifs, ands, or buts

• pitfall and gin
• pitfalled

• pitfall (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia