expression, ichidan verb
set a trap
Literal or figurative: to lay a trap for someone or something, often with malicious intent.
猟師は森に罠をかけた。
The hunter set a trap in the forest.
彼は私を陥れるために罠をかけた。
He set a trap to frame me.
Standard kanji spelling for the phrase.
Alternate kanji spelling using 掛ける; less common but still seen.
Compound of 罠 (wana, 'trap') + を (o, object marker) + かける (kakeru, 'to hang, set'). The verb かける here carries the sense of 'to set' or 'to lay'.