name
Meaning 1
A city in British Columbia, Canada.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
trail
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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trāl
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/tɹeɪl/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -eɪl
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CMU ARPABET: T R EY1 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
name
Meaning 2
A city in Polk County, Minnesota, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
Meaning 3
A census-designated place in Jackson County, Oregon, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- trail of blood
- condensation trail
- data trail, paper trail
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: spoor, sign
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
A route for travel over land, especially a narrow, unpaved pathway for use by hikers, horseback riders, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dirt track, footpath, path, track
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 6
A route or circuit generally.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- Politicians are on the campaign trail in preparation for this year's election.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
A trailer broadcast on television for a forthcoming film or programme.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: broadcasting, media, television
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 8
A walk in which all the edges are distinct.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: graph-theory, mathematics, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 9
The horizontal distance from where the wheel touches the ground to where the steering axis intersects the ground.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
To follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- The hunters trailed their prey deep into the woods.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 11
To drag (something) behind on the ground.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- You'll get your coat all muddy if you trail it around like that.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 12
To leave (a trail of).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- He walked into the house, soaking wet, and trailed water all over the place.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 13
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- His new film was trailed on TV last night.
- There were no surprises in this morning's much-trailed budget statement.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 14
To hang or drag loosely behind; to move with a slow sweeping motion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- The bride's long dress trailed behind her as she walked down the aisle.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 15
To run or climb like certain plants.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 16
To drag oneself lazily or reluctantly along.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- Our parents marched to church and we trailed behind.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 17
To be losing, to be behind in a competition.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 18
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: government, military, politics, war
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 19
To create a trail in.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 20
To travel by following or creating trails.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 21
To transport (livestock) by herding it along a trail.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 22
To take advantage of the ignorance of; to impose upon.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: dated
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 23
a path or track roughly blazed through wild or hilly country
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: track, cart track, cartroad
Narrower terms: cattle trail, deer trail, horse-trail, Indian trail, mountain trail, ski run, ski trail, Iditarod Trail, Santa Fe Trail
noun
Meaning 24
evidence pointing to a possible solution
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- the police are following a promising lead
- the trail led straight to the perpetrator
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: lead, track
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: evidence, grounds
noun
Meaning 25
a track or mark left by something that has passed
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- there as a trail of blood
- a tear left its trail on her cheek
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: path, track, course
Narrower terms: slot, spoor
verb
Meaning 26
drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The toddler was trailing his pants
- She trained her long scarf behind her
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: train
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: drag
verb
Meaning 27
hang down so as to drag along the ground
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The bride's veiled trailed along the ground
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 28
go after with the intent to catch
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The policeman chased the mugger down the alley
- the dog chased the rabbit
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chase, chase after, tail, tag, give chase, dog, go after, track
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: pursue, follow
Narrower terms: tree, quest, hound, hunt, trace, run down
verb
Meaning 29
to lag or linger behind
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- But in so many other areas we still are dragging
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: drag, get behind, hang back, drop behind, drop back
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: lag, dawdle, fall back, fall behind
verb
Meaning 30
move, proceed, or walk draggingly or slowly
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- John trailed behind his class mates
- The Mercedes trailed behind the horse cart
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: shack
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: travel, go, move, locomote
History
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”).
Across languages
Translations
217 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Afrikaans: spoor — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Albanian: tragë — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Albanian: vazhdë — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Arabic: أَثَر (ʔaṯar) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Belarusian: след (sljed) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Bulgarian: следа́ (sledá) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Catalan: rastre — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Catalan: pista — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Chinese Mandarin: 足跡 /足迹 (zújì) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Chinese Mandarin: 蹤跡 /踪迹 (zōngjì) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Chinese Mandarin: 痕跡 /痕迹 (hénjì) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Czech: stopa — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Danish: spor — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Dutch: spoor — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Finnish: jälki — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- French: piste — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- French: traces — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Georgian: ნაკვალევი (naḳvalevi) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Georgian: კვალი (ḳvali) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- German: Spur — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Greek: ίχνος (íchnos) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Ancient Greek: ἴχνος (íkhnos) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Hungarian: nyom — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Italian: strascico — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Italian: traccia — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Italian: pista — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Japanese: 跡 (ato) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Japanese: 痕跡 (konseki) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Japanese: 足跡 (ashiato) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Korean: 흔적 (heunjeok) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Korean: 자국 (jaguk) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Korean: 발자국 (baljaguk) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Latin: vestīgia — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Macedonian: трага (traga) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Māori: paparahi — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Māori: makatea — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Church Slavic: слѣдъ (slědŭ) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Old East Slavic: слѣдъ (slědŭ) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Plautdietsch: Spoa — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Polish: trop — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Polish: ślad — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Portuguese: rasto — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Portuguese: rastro — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Romanian: urmă — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Russian: след (sled) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Serbo-Croatian: тра̑г — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Serbo-Croatian: trȃg — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Slovak: stopa — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Slovene: sled — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Spanish: rastro — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Spanish: pista — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Swedish: spår — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Tagalog: bagnos — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Telugu: జాడ (jāḍa) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Tooro: ekirale class 7 — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Turkish: iz — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Turkish: çığır — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Ottoman Turkish: رسم (resm, resim) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Ukrainian: слід (slid) — signs of something/someone has passed previously
- Western Apache: ʼintin — route for travel over land
- Arabic: مَسْلَك (maslak) — route for travel over land
- Armenian: արահետ (arahet) — route for travel over land
- Armenian: շավիղ (šaviġ) — route for travel over land
- Bashkir: һуҡмаҡ (huqmaq) — route for travel over land
- Belarusian: сце́жка (scjéžka) — route for travel over land
- Bulgarian: пъте́ка (pǎtéka) — route for travel over land
- Catalan: pista — route for travel over land
- Catalan: corriol — route for travel over land
- Chinese Mandarin: 路徑 /路径 (lùjìng) — route for travel over land
- Chinese Mandarin: 小徑 /小径 (xiǎojìng) — route for travel over land
- Chinese Mandarin: 山道 (shāndào) — route for travel over land
- Czech: stezka — route for travel over land
- Czech: cestička — route for travel over land
- Czech: chodníček — route for travel over land
- Dutch: route — route for travel over land
- Dutch: pad — route for travel over land
- Esperanto: vojsulko — route for travel over land
- Finnish: reitti — route for travel over land
- Finnish: eräreitti — route for travel over land
- Finnish: polku — route for travel over land
- French: piste — route for travel over land
- French: sentier — route for travel over land
- Galician: sendeiro — route for travel over land
- Georgian: ბილიკი (biliḳi) — route for travel over land
- German: Pfad — route for travel over land
- German: Weg — route for travel over land
- German: Trail — route for travel over land
- Greek: μονοπάτι (monopáti) — route for travel over land
- Hindi: रास्ता (rāstā) — route for travel over land
- Ingrian: troppa — route for travel over land
- Italian: sentiero — route for travel over land
- Italian: pista — route for travel over land
- Japanese: 小道 (komichi) — route for travel over land
- Japanese: 登山道 (tozandō) — route for travel over land
- Japanese: 山道 — route for travel over land
- Japanese: トレイル (toreiru) — route for travel over land
- Japanese: 小路 (komichi) — route for travel over land
- Korean: 등산로 (deungsanno) — route for travel over land
- Korean: 트레일 (teureil) — route for travel over land
- Korean: 길 (gil) — route for travel over land
- Korean: 작은 길 (jageun gil) — route for travel over land
- Korean: 오솔길 (osolgil) — route for travel over land
- Latin: semita — route for travel over land
- Latin: trāmes — route for travel over land
- Macedonian: патека (pateka) — route for travel over land
- Māori: makenu — route for travel over land
- Māori: maheu — route for travel over land
- Māori: ara — route for travel over land
- Persian: مالرو (mâlrow) — route for travel over land
- Persian: گذر (gozar) — route for travel over land
- Polabian: staʒ́ă — route for travel over land
- Polish: ścieżka — route for travel over land
- Portuguese: trilha — route for travel over land
- Romanian: potecă — route for travel over land
- Romanian: cărare — route for travel over land
- Russian: тропа́ (tropá) — route for travel over land
- Russian: тропи́нка (tropínka) — route for travel over land
- Russian: стёжка (stjóžka) — route for travel over land
- Russian: доро́жка (doróžka) — route for travel over land
- Scottish Gaelic: slighe — route for travel over land
- Serbo-Croatian: ста̀за — route for travel over land
- Serbo-Croatian: stàza — route for travel over land
- Slovak: cestička — route for travel over land
- Slovak: chodníček — route for travel over land
- Slovene: pešpot — route for travel over land
- Spanish: sendero — route for travel over land
- Spanish: senda — route for travel over land
- Swedish: stig — route for travel over land
- Swedish: led — route for travel over land
- Tajik: пайраҳа (payraha) — route for travel over land
- Tajik: пайраҳача (payrahača) — route for travel over land
- Tausug: dan — route for travel over land
- Telugu: జాడ (jāḍa) — route for travel over land
- Tewa: pʼôe — route for travel over land
- Turkish: parkur — route for travel over land
- Turkish: patika — route for travel over land
- Turkish: çığır — route for travel over land
- Ottoman Turkish: یول (yol) — route for travel over land
- Ottoman Turkish: چیغیر (çığır) — route for travel over land
- Ukrainian: сте́жка (stéžka) — route for travel over land
- Ukrainian: стежи́на (stežýna) — route for travel over land
- Ukrainian: стежи́нка (stežýnka) — route for travel over land
- Bulgarian: but see прост път (prost pǎt) — graph theory: walk with distinct edges
- Danish: tur — graph theory: walk with distinct edges
- Hebrew: מסילה — graph theory: walk with distinct edges
- French: chasse — horizontal distance
- German: Nachlauf — horizontal distance
- Bulgarian: проследявам (prosledjavam) — follow behind
- Chinese Mandarin: 跟踪 (gēnzōng) — follow behind
- Chinese Mandarin: 追踪 (zhuīzōng) — follow behind
- Czech: sledovat — follow behind
- Czech: stopovat — follow behind
- Danish: følge — follow behind
- Finnish: seurata — follow behind
- Finnish: jäljittää — follow behind
- French: pister — follow behind
- French: suivre — follow behind
- Galician: seguir — follow behind
- Galician: siguir — follow behind
- German: folgen — follow behind
- German: verfolgen — follow behind
- German: nachstellen — follow behind
- German: nacheilen — follow behind
- German: nachsetzen — follow behind
- Hindi: पीछा करना (pīchā karnā) — follow behind
- Italian: pedinare — follow behind
- Italian: seguire — follow behind
- Italian: inseguire — follow behind
- Māori: aru — follow behind
- Māori: tauaru — follow behind
- Polish: śledzić — follow behind
- Polish: tropić — follow behind
- Portuguese: seguir — follow behind
- Russian: идти по следу (idti po sledu) — follow behind
- Russian: высле́живать (vysléživatʹ) — follow behind
- Russian: вы́следить (výsleditʹ) — follow behind
- Serbo-Croatian: slediti — follow behind
- Spanish: seguir — follow behind
- Ukrainian: переслідувати (peresliduvaty) — follow behind
- Arabic: جَرَّ (jarra) — drag behind
- Bulgarian: влача (vlača) — drag behind
- Catalan: arrossegar — drag behind
- Chinese Mandarin: 拖 (tuō) — drag behind
- Czech: vláčet — drag behind
- Czech: vléci — drag behind
- Czech: táhnout — drag behind
- Finnish: raahata — drag behind
- French: traîner — drag behind
- Galician: arrousar — drag behind
- Galician: ransir — drag behind
- Galician: restrexar — drag behind
- Galician: arrastrar — drag behind
- German: schleppen — drag behind
- German: schleifen — drag behind
- German: ziehen — drag behind
- Hungarian: húz — drag behind
- Hungarian: von — drag behind
- Hungarian: vontat — drag behind
- Italian: trascinare — drag behind
- Italian: trainare — drag behind
- Italian: strascicare — drag behind
- Māori: kitō — drag behind
- Portuguese: arrastar — drag behind
- Russian: тяну́ть (tjanútʹ) — drag behind
- Russian: волочи́ть (voločítʹ) — drag behind
- Russian: тащи́ть (taščítʹ) — drag behind
- Scottish Gaelic: slaod — drag behind
- Spanish: arrastrar — drag behind
- Ukrainian: тягти (tjahty) — drag behind
- Bulgarian: оставям следа (ostavjam sleda) — leave (a trail of)
- Czech: nechávat za sebou — leave (a trail of)
- Finnish: jättää jälkeensä — leave (a trail of)
- German: zurücklassen — leave (a trail of)
- German: eine Spur hinter sich lassen — leave (a trail of)
- Hungarian: nyomot hagy — leave (a trail of)
- Italian: lasciar tracce di — leave (a trail of)
- Serbo-Croatian: ostaviti trag — leave (a trail of)
Real reading context