trail
See also: Trail
English
Lua error in Module:interproject at line 62: Parameter "dab" is not used by this template.
Etymology
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”).
Pronunciation
Verb
trail (third-person singular simple present trails, present participle trailing, simple past and past participle trailed)
- (transitive) To follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something).
- The hunters trailed their prey deep into the woods.
- (transitive) To drag (something) behind on the ground.
- You'll get your coat all muddy if you trail it around like that.
- 1922, Virginia Woolf, Jacob's Room Chapter 1
- "I saw your brother—I saw your brother," he said, nodding his head, as Archer lagged past him, trailing his spade, and scowling at the old gentleman in spectacles.
- (transitive) To leave (a trail of).
- He walked into the house, soaking wet, and trailed water all over the place.
- (transitive) To show a trailer of (a film, TV show etc.); to release or publish a preview of (a report etc.) in advance of the full publication.
- His new film was trailed on TV last night.
- There were no surprises in this morning's much-trailed budget statement.
- (intransitive) To hang or drag loosely behind; to move with a slow sweeping motion.
- The bride's long dress trailed behind her as she walked down the aisle.
- (intransitive) To run or climb like certain plants.
- (intransitive) To drag oneself lazily or reluctantly along.
- Our parents marched to church and we trailed behind.
- To be losing, to be behind in a competition.
- 2011 December 29, Keith Jackson, “SPL: Celtic 1 Rangers 0”, in Daily Record:
- Neil Lennon and his players have, in almost no time at all, roared back from trailing Rangers by 15 points in November to ending the year two points clear.
- (military) To carry (a firearm) with the breech near the ground and the upper part inclined forward, the piece being held by the right hand near the middle.
- To flatten (grass, etc.) by walking through it; to tread down.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Longfellow to this entry?)
- (dated) To take advantage of the ignorance of; to impose upon.
- (Can we date this quote by Charlotte Brontë and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
- I presently perceived she was (what is vernacularly termed) trailing Mrs. Dent; that is, playing on her ignorance.
- (Can we date this quote by Charlotte Brontë and provide title, author’s full name, and other details?)
Derived terms
Translations
follow behind
|
drag behind
|
leave (a trail of)
|
Noun
trail (plural trails)
- The track or indication marking the route followed by something that has passed, such as the footprints of animal on land or the contrail of an airplane in the sky.
- A route for travel over land, especially a narrow, unpaved pathway for use by hikers, horseback riders, etc.
- A trailer broadcast on television for a forthcoming film or programme.
- (graph theory) A walk in which all the edges are distinct.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Terms derived from trail (noun)
Translations
footprints or signs of something/someone has passed previously
track followed by a hunter
|
route for travel over land
|
graph theory: a walk
|
See also
Anagrams
French
Noun
trail f (plural trails)
- Dual-sport motorcycle
- Trail running
Categories:
- English terms inherited from Middle English
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Vulgar Latin
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 1-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/eɪl
- English lemmas
- English verbs
- English transitive verbs
- English terms with usage examples
- English intransitive verbs
- English terms with quotations
- en:Military
- Requests for quotations/Longfellow
- English dated terms
- Requests for date/Charlotte Brontë
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- en:Graph theory
- French lemmas
- French nouns
- French countable nouns
- French feminine nouns