Link Centre Dictionary

trail

UK/tɹeɪl/ US/ˈtreɪl/ common
verb (5) noun (3)

verb

1.

to lag or linger behind

  • “But in so many other areas we still are dragging”
Synonyms
2.

go after with the intent to catch

  • “The policeman chased the mugger down the alley”
  • “the dog chased the rabbit”
Synonyms
3.

move, proceed, or walk draggingly pr slowly

  • “John trailed behind behis class mates”
  • “The Mercedes trailed behind the horse cart”
Synonyms
4.

hang down so as to drag along the ground

  • “The bride”
5.

drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground

  • “The toddler was trailing his pants”
  • “She trained her long scarf behind her”
Synonyms

noun

1.

a track or mark left by something that has passed

  • “there as a trail of blood”
  • “a tear left its trail on her cheek”
2.
3.

evidence pointing to a possible solution

  • “the police are following a promising lead”
  • “the trail led straight to the perpetrator”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English trailen, from Old French trailler (“to tow; pick up the scent of a quarry”), from Vulgar Latin *tragulāre (“to drag”), from Latin tragula (“dragnet, javelin thrown by a strap”), probably related to Latin trahere (“to pull, drag along”).

Phrases

  • trail away
  • trail behind
  • trail net
  • trail off

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

See also

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.