troll

v. To post something that you do not actually believe, with the sole aim of provoking reactions. Derived from the fishing term, meaning, "to cast a wide net."

n. A person who trolls - i.e. a person who posts, NOT because they believe what they're saying, but just to see how much time and energy they can get strangers to spend on them. The one thing all types of trolls have in common, is that the poster DOES NOT actually believe what they are saying (someone who posts something they actually believe may be ignorant, but they are not a troll). The only reason a troll posts is to provoke reactions, and any reaction, especially any negative reaction, will make them happy.

1. (criminally malicious and easily recognizable) That troll just posted some really defamatory or obscene things about someone who just died IRL.
2. (relatively benign and a bit harder to recognize) (in a Star Wars fan forum): (Hello. I am a troll, although I would not actually come right out and say that). Why doesn't anybody realize that Luke Skywalker attempted suicide in Empire Strikes Back? (Continues to insist this, even after 600 arguments by 50 different fans, whereas a normal person who actually believes this would have just mutely agreed to disagree by now, if nothing else because 50-1 arguments are exhausting for normal people).
3. (political. Sometimes easily recognizable, sometimes not) (regarding a subject that has nothing to do with political policy whatsoever): (Hello, I'm a troll.) It's all x political figure's fault. insert ludicrously flimsy reasoning

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