Trolling

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈtɹɒlɪŋ/

Definitions

1. The method of fishing by pulling a baited line through water while moving ; the act of deliberately posting inflammatory or upsetting messages on the internet to annoy others
2. Catching fish by slowly dragging a lure or bait behind a moving boat ; intentionally posting comments designed to provoke or disturb online communities
3. A fishing technique involving towing baited lines through water for catching fish ; deliberately sending messages online to irritate or disrupt conversations

Etymology: The fishing sense came first. "Trolling" describes towing a baited line behind a moving boat, and the verb it comes from was once used more loosely for wandering or rolling about. Middle English "trollen" meant to go about, wander, or move something to and fro, and it likely picked up its fishing sense from the idea of a line trailed behind a boat, possibly shaped by "trail" or "trawl." The creature in the name is a different word. The noun "troll," the mythical monster of Scandinavian folklore, comes through Middle English "trol" from Old Norse "trǫll," a word for a conjurer or witch, and ultimately from a Proto-Germanic root meaning a supernatural being or giant. The two words are not directly related, though they have fused in English through a shared sound. The internet sense is a later extension. Using "troll" for someone who posts inflammatory remarks to provoke arguments is probably derived from the verb, as a bait-and-lure image, and may have been influenced by the mythical creature. The word's modern meaning sits on top of its fishing origin.

Synonyms: fishing, angling