# trail

Pronunciation: US say "TRAYL" /tɹeɪl/; UK

## Noun

1. A narrow, unpaved path over land, used by hikers, horseback riders, and others.
   - Simple: A narrow path for walking or horse riding, usually through woods or hills.
   - _The hikers spent the morning climbing a steep mountain trail._
   - _A network of trails crisscrosses the national park._
2. The track or mark showing the route something took after passing, such as animal footprints on the ground or a plane's contrail in the sky.
   - Simple: Marks left behind that show where someone or something has gone.
   - _Detectives followed a trail of blood to the back room._
   - _The comet left a glowing trail across the night sky._
7. A route or circuit that someone follows from one place to the next.
   - Simple: A set route that someone follows from place to place.
   - _The senator returned to the campaign trail after a brief illness._
   - _Lecturers on the speaking trail visit a dozen cities each spring._
12. A short promotional clip broadcast on television to preview an upcoming film or program.
   - Simple: A short clip shown on TV to advertise a movie or show that is coming soon.
   - _The channel ran a thirty-second trail for its upcoming drama series._
   - _Viewers complained that the trail gave away too much of the plot._
16. The horizontal distance between the point where a wheel meets the ground and the point where the steering axis reaches the ground.
   - Simple: The small gap between where a wheel touches the road and where the steering line meets the road.
   - _Increasing the fork offset reduces the trail and makes the steering quicker._
   - _Designers chose a longer trail to keep the motorcycle stable on the highway._
17. In graph theory, a walk through a graph in which no edge is repeated.
   - Simple: In math, a path through points where you never use the same connection twice.
   - _The student traced a trail across the network without repeating any edge._
   - _Every path is a trail, but not every trail is a path._

## Verb

3. To follow closely behind someone or something, often quietly keeping track of where they go.
   - Simple: To follow behind a person or animal to see where they go.
   - _Wolves will trail a wounded animal for miles._
   - _The agent trailed the smuggler from the airport to the hotel._
4. To be behind an opponent in a competition; to be losing.
   - Simple: To be losing in a game or race, behind the other side.
   - _With minutes left, the defending champions still trailed by two goals._
   - _Candidates who trail early often drop out of the race._
5. To drag something along behind you on the ground.
   - Simple: To pull something behind you so it drags along the ground.
   - _The bride trailed her veil along the marble steps._
   - _Fishermen trail nets behind their boats to catch shrimp._
6. To move in a slow sweep, or hang down or drag loosely behind something.
   - Simple: To hang down loosely behind, or to move slowly in a soft sweeping way.
   - _Her gown trailed gracefully across the ballroom floor._
   - _Ribbons trail from the back of the kite._
8. To leave a trail of something behind as you move along.
   - Simple: To leave a line of marks or bits behind you as you move.
   - _The leaking can trailed paint across the driveway._
   - _Snails trail a glistening slime wherever they crawl._
9. To travel by following existing paths or by making new ones.
   - Simple: To travel by following paths or by making new ones.
   - _The expedition trailed north along the frozen river for weeks._
   - _Settlers who trail across the plains face many dangers._
10. To move along slowly and wearily, as if dragging yourself reluctantly.
   - Simple: To move along slowly and lazily, as if you don't want to go.
   - _She trailed wearily up the stairs after the long shift._
   - _Latecomers trail into the hall long after the lecture begins._
11. To grow by spreading along the ground or climbing upward, as certain plants do.
   - Simple: To grow by spreading along the ground or climbing, the way some plants do.
   - _Ivy will trail along the fence if it is left alone._
   - _The vines trailed across the old stone wall as the years passed._
13. To broadcast a preview of a film or show, or to release part of a report ahead of its full publication.
   - Simple: To show a short preview of a movie or show, or to share part of a report early.
   - _The broadcaster trailed its fall lineup across several prime-time slots._
   - _The agency chose to trail the key findings a week ahead of the full report._
14. To form a path or track through an area by passing across it repeatedly.
   - Simple: To make a path through a place by moving across it again and again.
   - _Generations of walkers had trailed a clear route over the ridge._
   - _Wild animals trail well-worn paths through the forest._
15. To move livestock between places by herding the animals along a trail.
   - Simple: To move farm animals from one place to another by guiding the herd along a path.
   - _Cowboys once trailed huge herds north toward the railroad towns._
   - _Each spring the family would trail their cattle to higher ground._
18. To carry a firearm with the breech close to the ground and the barrel inclined forward, holding it by the middle with the right hand.
   - Simple: To carry a gun low at your side, with the back end near the ground and the front tilted forward.
   - _The squad trailed their muskets while moving quickly through the brush._
   - _Recruits learn to trail a rifle when speed matters more than ceremony._

## Verb

19. To take advantage of someone's ignorance; to impose upon or deceive them. *(dated)*
   - Simple: To trick someone by using what they do not know.
   - _The swindlers trailed every greenhorn who wandered into town._
   - _He would trail the credulous out of their savings with a smooth story._

## Origin

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").

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/trail (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).