Definitions for: Trail


[n] a path or track roughly blazed through wild or hilly country
[n] evidence pointing to a possible solution; "the police are following a promising lead"; "the trail led straight to the perpetrator"
[n] a track or mark left by something that has passed; "there as a trail of blood"; "a tear left its trail on her cheek"
[v] drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground; "The toddler was trailing his pants"
[v] drag along heavily or wearily; "The tired man seemed to trail his limbs after himself"
[v] hang down so as to drag along the ground; "The bride's veiled trailed along the ground"
[v] go after with the intent to catch
[v] to lag or linger behind; "But in so many other areas we still are dragging."
[v] to walk or proceed draggingly, slowly; "Snow buried the streets and covered the slanting rooftops, as John trudged toward St. Peter's."



Webster (1913) Definition: Trail, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Trailed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Trailing.] [OE. trailen, OF. trailler to trail a deer, or
hunt him upon a cold scent, also, to hunt or pursue him with
a limehound, F. trailler to trail a fishing line; probably
from a derivative of L. trahere to draw; cf. L. traha a drag,
sledge, tragula a kind of drag net, a small sledge, Sp.
trailla a leash, an instrument for leveling the ground, D.
treilen to draw with a rope, to tow, treil a rope for drawing
a boat. See Trace, v. t.]
1. To hunt by the track; to track.


Trail, v. i.
1. To be drawn out in length; to follow after.

When his brother saw the red blood trail. --Spenser.

2. To grow to great length, especially when slender and
creeping upon the ground, as a plant; to run or climb.


Trail, n.
1. A track left by man or beast; a track followed by the
hunter; a scent on the ground by the animal pursued; as, a
deer trail.

They traveled in the bed of the brook, leaving no
dangerous trail. --Cooper.

How cheerfully on the false trail they cry! --Shak.

2. A footpath or road track through a wilderness or wild
region; as, an Indian trail over the plains.

3. Anything drawn out to a length; as, the trail of a meteor;
a trail of smoke.

When lightning shoots in glittering trails along.
--Rowe.

4. Anything drawn behind in long undulations; a train. ``A
radiant trail of hair.'' --Pope.

5. Anything drawn along, as a vehicle. [Obs.]

6. A frame for trailing plants; a trellis. [Obs.]

7. The entrails of a fowl, especially of game, as the
woodcock, and the like; -- applied also, sometimes, to the
entrails of sheep.

The woodcock is a favorite with epicures, and served
with its trail in, is a delicious dish. --Baird.

8. (Mil.) That part of the stock of a gun carriage which
rests on the ground when the piece is unlimbered. See
Illust. of Gun carriage, under Gun.

9. The act of taking advantage of the ignorance of a person;
an imposition. [Prov. Eng.]

Trail boards (Shipbuilding), the carved boards on both
sides of the cutwater near the figurehead.

Trail net, a net that is trailed or drawn behind a boat.
--Wright.

Synonyms: chase, chase after, dog, drag, drop behind, get behind, go after, hang back, lead, shack, tag, tail, track, track, train, trudge

See Also: cart track, cartroad, cattle trail, chase away, course, dawdle, deer trail, dispel, drag, drive away, drive off, drive out, evidence, fall back, fall behind, follow, go, go, grounds, horse-trail, hound, hunt, Iditarod Trail, Indian trail, lag, locomote, locomote, mountain trail, move, move, path, pursue, quest, run down, run off, Santa Fe Trail, ski run, ski trail, slot, spoor, tag along, trace, track, track, travel, travel, turn back

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