Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. the state of experiencing a drug, usu. hallucinogenic, orig. only of LSD.

1989		(con. 1982–6) T. Williams Cocaine Kids (1990) 138: [of cocaine] tripping to get high.
1991		L. Bing Do or Die (1992) 147: I got an uncle who smoked [PCP], and he got to trippin’, tearin’ the house up, takin’ off all his clothes.
1995		M. Dibdin Dark Spectre (1996) 50: To Vince, time not spent balling, tripping or bopping, preferably all at once, was time wasted.
2000		N. Griffiths Grits 94: Am a bit weary-a trippin since-a larst time which nirly blew me fuckin ead off.
2006		E. St Aubyn Mothers Milk 40: This is incredible, it’s like tripping without the drugs.
2006		B. Matthews Intractable [ebook] Nutmeg Joe’s test-pattern tripping was compensated by a magic skill.

2. (US black, also tabbing) experiencing unpleasant effects as a result of consuming hallucinogens.

1993

Eble Campus Sl. Oct. 6: tripping – suffering the ill effects of LSD. Also tabbing.

3. emotionally unstable.

2011		J.J. Connolly Viva La Madness 45: Musta been trippin, soppy tart.
2005		W.D. Myers Autobiog. of My Dead Brother 22: ‘Rise is your dog, man,’ Calvin said. ‘Is he tripping?’.