trail
pronunciation
How to pronounce trail in British English:
UK [treɪl]
How to pronounce trail in American English:
US [treɪl]
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- Noun:
- a track or mark left by something that has passed
- a path or track roughly blazed through wild or hilly country
- evidence pointing to a possible solution
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- Verb:
- to lag or linger behind
- go after with the intent to catch
- move, proceed, or walk draggingly pr slowly
- hang down so as to drag along the ground
- drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground
Word Origin
- trail
- trail: see trawl
- trail (v.)
- c. 1300, "to hang down loosely and flow behind" (of a gown, sleeve, etc.), from Old French trailler "to tow; pick up the scent of a quarry," ultimately from Vulgar Latin *tragulare "to drag," from Latin tragula "dragnet, javelin thrown by a strap," probably related to trahere "to pull" (see tract (n.1)). Transitive sense of "to tow or pull along the ground" is from c. 1400. The meaning "follow the trail of" (an animal, etc.) is first recorded late 14c. Meaning "to lag behind" is from 1957. Related: Trailed; trailing.
- trail (n.)
- early 14c., "trailing part of a robe, gown, etc.," from trail (v.). The meaning "track or smell left by a person or animal" is also from 1580s. Meaning "path or track worn in wilderness" is attested from 1807. Trail of Tears in reference to the U.S. government's brutally incompetent Cherokee removal of 1838-9 is attested by 1908.
Example
- 1. Geological enthusiasts could also follow a volcanic trail through central american .
- 2. Keep walking until you see a sign for the trail .
- 3. Windows phone will trail far behind with just 4.7 of the market .
- 4. Snow machine tracks swirl near the trail .
- 5. Gold 's glimmer still lights a trail of devastation .