trail

 
Pronunciation: /treɪl/

noun

  • 1a mark or a series of signs or objects left behind by the passage of someone or something: a trail of blood on the grass the torrential rain left a trail of devastation
  • a track, scent, or other indication used in following someone or hunting an animal: police followed his trail to Dorset
  • 2a long thin part or line stretching behind or hanging down from something: smoke trails we drove down in a trail of tourist cars
  • 3a beaten path through the countryside: country parks with nature trails easy waymarked trails for the casual walker
  • a route followed for a particular purpose: the hotel is well off the tourist trail
  • (also ski trail) North American a downhill ski run or cross-country ski route: this steep trail is as firm as off-piste spring snow
  • 4a trailer for a film or broadcast: a recent television trail for ‘The Bill’
  • 5the rear end of a gun carriage, resting or sliding on the ground when the gun is unlimbered.

verb

  • 1 [with adverbial] draw or be drawn along behind someone or something: [with object]: Alex trailed a hand through the clear water [no object]: her robe trailed along the ground
  • [no object] (typically of a plant) grow or hang over the edge of something or along the ground: the roses grew wild, their stems trailing over the banks
  • 2 [no object, with adverbial of direction] walk or move slowly or wearily: he baulked at the idea of trailing around the shops
  • (of the voice or a speaker) fade gradually before stopping: her voice trailed away
  • 3 [with object] follow (a person or animal) by using marks or scent left behind: Sam suspected they were trailing him
  • 4 [no object] be losing to an opponent in a game or contest: [with complement]: the defending champions were trailing 10—5 at half-time
  • 5 [with object] give advance publicity to (a film, broadcast, or proposal): the bank’s plans have been extensively trailed
  • 6 [with object] apply (slip) through a nozzle or spout to decorate ceramic ware.

Phrases

at the trail

Military with a rifle hanging balanced in one hand and (in Britain) parallel to the ground.

trail arms

Military let a rifle hang balanced in one hand and (in Britain) parallel to the ground.

trail one's coat

deliberately provoke a quarrel or fight.

Origin:

Middle English (as a verb): from Old French traillier 'to tow', or Middle Low German treilen 'haul a boat', based on Latin tragula 'dragnet', from trahere 'to pull'. Compare with trawl. The noun originally denoted the train of a robe, later generalized to denote something trailing