51Թ

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View synonyms for

trail

[treyl]

verb (used with object)

  1. to drag or let drag along the ground or other surface; draw or drag along behind.

  2. to bring or have floating after itself or oneself.

    a racing car trailing clouds of dust.

  3. to follow the track, trail, or scent of; track.

    Synonyms: ,
  4. to follow along behind (another), as in a race.

  5. to mark out, as a track.

  6. to tread down or make a path through (grass or the like).

  7. to draw out, as speech; protract.

  8. Ceramics.to pour (slip) on a biscuit so as to produce a pattern.



verb (used without object)

  1. to be drawn or dragged along the ground or some other surface, as when hanging from something moving.

    Her long bridal gown trailed across the floor.

  2. to hang down loosely from something.

  3. to stream from or float after something moving, as dust, smoke, and sparks do.

  4. to follow as if drawn along.

  5. to fish by trailing a line from a moving boat; troll.

  6. to go slowly, lazily, or wearily along.

  7. to pass or extend in a straggling line.

  8. to change gradually or wander from a course, so as to become weak, ineffectual, etc. (usually followed by off oraway ).

    Her voice trailed off into silence.

    Synonyms: , ,
  9. to arrive or be last.

    He finally trailed in at 10 o'clock.

  10. to be losing in a contest.

    The home team was trailing 20 to 15.

  11. to creep or crawl, as a serpent.

  12. to follow a track or scent, as of game.

  13. (of a plant) to extend itself in growth along the ground rather than taking root or clinging by tendrils, etc.

noun

  1. a path or track made across a wild region, over rough country, or the like, by the passage of people or animals.

  2. the track, scent, or the like, left by an animal, person, or thing, especially as followed by a hunter, hound, or other pursuer.

    Synonyms:
  3. something that is trailed or that trails behind, as the train of a skirt or robe.

  4. a stream of dust, smoke, light, people, vehicles, etc., behind something moving.

  5. Artillery.the part of a gun carriage that rests on the ground when the piece is unlimbered.

  6. Architecture.a running vine, leaf, or tendril ornament, as in a Gothic molding.

trail

/ ٰɪ /

verb

  1. to drag or stream, or permit to drag or stream along a surface, esp the ground

    her skirt trailed

    she trailed her skipping rope

  2. to make (a track or path) through (a place)

    to trail a way

    to trail a jungle

  3. to chase, follow, or hunt (an animal or person) by following marks or tracks

  4. to lag or linger behind (a person or thing)

  5. (intr) (esp of plants) to extend or droop over or along a surface

  6. (intr) to be falling behind in a race or competition

    the favourite is trailing at the last fence

  7. (tr) to tow (a boat, caravan, etc) behind a motor vehicle

  8. (tr) to carry (a rifle) at the full length of the right arm in a horizontal position, with the muzzle to the fore

  9. (intr) to move wearily or slowly

    we trailed through the city

  10. (tr) (on television or radio) to advertise (a future programme) with short extracts

  11. to invite a quarrel by deliberately provocative behaviour

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a print, mark, or marks made by a person, animal, or object

  2. the act or an instance of trailing

  3. the scent left by a moving person or animal that is followed by a hunting animal

  4. a path, track, or road, esp one roughly blazed

  5. something that trails behind or trails in loops or strands

  6. the part of a towed gun carriage and limber that connects the two when in movement and rests on the ground as a partial support when unlimbered

  7. engineering the distance between the point of contact of a steerable wheel and a line drawn from the swivel pin axis to the ground

  8. (on television or radio) an advertisement for a future programme

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • trailingly adverb
  • trailless adjective
  • nontrailing adjective
  • untrailed adjective
  • untrailing adjective
  • ˈٰ- adjective
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of trail1

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English trailen “to draw or drag in the rear”; compare Old English ٰæ “to tear off”; cognate with Middle Dutch traghelen “to drag”; akin to Latvian â “to tear off, drag”
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of trail1

C14: from Old French trailler to draw, tow, from Vulgar Latin ٰܱ (unattested), from Latin ٰ岵ܱ dragnet, from trahere to drag; compare Middle Dutch traghelen to drag
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. trail arms,

    1. to hold a rifle in the right hand at an oblique angle, with the muzzle forward and the butt a few inches off the ground.

    2. a command to trail arms.

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Synonym Study

See path.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

For example the German highland region of Spessart, in Bavaria and Hesse, is shifting its focus to year-round tourism by developing new trails and promoting activities such as hiking, biking and wellness.

From

SpaceX is known around the Southland for its highly visible vapor trails as well as its sudden booms.

From

They had trailed 3-0 in the second half but turned things around thanks to four goals from former Manchester United and Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez.

From

Then they started following the trail that typically leads to identification.

From

"The media didn't chase them. They gave it a trail to follow - blending scandal with strategy and high-end deals."

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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