n.
1 (beaten) path, way, footpath, route, way, track, course:
There is a well-worn trail through the wood.
2 track, spoor, scent, smell, trace, footsteps, footprints, path, wake:
The trail of the elephant herd was quite easy to follow.
She was always followed by a trail of admirers.
v.
4 tow, draw, drag (along), haul, pull, tag along, trawl, bring along (behind), carry along (behind):
We were moving slowly because we were trailing a dinghy.
5 drag, pull, move, be drawn, stream, sweep, dangle:
I heard the whisper of silken gowns trailing across Persian carpets.
6 lag (behind), dawdle, loiter, linger, follow, straggle, bring up the rear, hang back, fall or drop behind:
Our team was trailing three-five in the final.
7 follow, pursue, dog, trace, shadow, stalk, track, chase, hunt, Colloq tail:
We trailed the suspect to Victoria Station, where we lost him.
8 trail off or away. diminish, decrease, fade away or out, disappear, dwindle, lessen, die out or away, peter out, subside, taper off, weaken, grow faint or dim:
As they drove away, the noise of their blasting radio trailed off.
noun
1 line/smell that sb/sth leaves behind
ADJ.
scent
Ants follow a scent trail laid down previously.
| blood, smoke, vapour | thin | muddy | false
VERB + TRAIL
lay, leave, make
The couple laid a false trail to escape the paparazzi. The tourists left a trail of litter behind them.
| pick up
The dog had picked up the trail of a rabbit.
| follow | lose
The fox had crossed a stream, and the hounds lost the trail.
TRAIL + VERB
go cold
They had to find the kidnappers before the trail went cold.
PREP.
on sb's ~
Detectives had found several new clues and were back on the murderer's trail.
PHRASES
a trail of blood, a trail of devastation
The hurricane passed, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.
| a trail of smoke
2 path/route
ADJ.
forest, nature, woodland | 10-kilometre, 5-mile, etc. | cycle, mountain bike, tourist, walking | hippy, tourist
This restaurant is off the tourist trail.
| campaign, comeback, winning
(all figurative) After a disastrous few seasons, the team are on the comeback trail.
VERB + TRAIL
follow, hit
In 1967 she hit the hippy trail to India.
| be on
(often figurative)
TRAIL + VERB
go, lead, wend its way
The trail wends its way through leafy woodland and sunny meadows.
PREP.
along a/the ~
verb
1 move/walk slowly
ADV.
slowly | wearily
PREP.
after
I trailed wearily after the others.
| around/round
They spent their lives trailing around the country.
| (along) behind
2 have a lower score than the other player/team
ADV.
badly
Liverpool are now trailing badly in the league.
PREP.
by
They were trailing by 12 points until the last few minutes of the game.
Random quote: Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom.: Theodore Rubin
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