释义 |
noun | verb trailtrail1 /treɪl/ ●●○ noun [countable] ETYMOLOGYtrail1Origin: 1300-1400 Old French trailler to pull after you, tow, from Vulgar Latin tragulare, from Latin tragula sledge, net for pulling ► followed the trail We followed the trail until we came to a lake. ► hot on the trail of Police are hot on the trail of (=trying very hard to catch) the killer. 1PATH a rough path across open country or through a forest: a hiking trail through the woods We followed the trail until we came to a lake.2MARKS/SMELL ETC. the marks, signs, or smell left by a person or animal: The dogs followed the trail of the dying animal.3be on the trail of somebody/something to be following or looking for someone or something that is difficult to catch or find: We’re always on the trail of new and exciting ideas. Police are hot on the trail of (=trying very hard to catch) the killer.4while the trail is still hot if you chase someone while the trail is still hot, you follow him or her soon after he or she has left a place5the trail goes cold used to say that someone cannot find any more signs of someone or something6a trail of blood/clues/destruction etc. a series of marks or signs left by someone or something that is moving: She left a trail of wet footprints across the floor.7a trail of broken hearts/unpaid bills etc. a series of unhappy people or bad situations all caused by the same person: As her career advanced, she left behind a trail of damaged friendships. → see also blaze a trail at blaze1 (4) noun | verb trailtrail2 /treɪl/ ●●○ verb ETYMOLOGYtrail2Origin: 1300-1400 Old French trailler to pull after you, tow, from Latin tragula sledge, net for pulling VERB TABLEtrail |
Present | I, you, we, they | trail | | he, she, it | trails | Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | trailed | Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have trailed | | he, she, it | has trailed | Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had trailed | Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will trail | Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have trailed |
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Present | I | am trailing | | he, she, it | is trailing | | you, we, they | are trailing | Past | I, he, she, it | was trailing | | you, we, they | were trailing | Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been trailing | | he, she, it | has been trailing | Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been trailing | Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be trailing | Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been trailing |
THESAURUSgo behind/after► followa) to walk, drive, run, etc. behind or after someone else: They followed us in their car. The president was followed by a crowd of photographers.b) to go closely behind someone in order to find out where he or she is going: The man followed her home. ► chase to quickly follow someone or something in order to catch him, her, or it: The store’s owner chased the thief down the street. ► pursue formal to chase someone or something: The police pursued the car for ten miles before stopping it. ► run after to chase someone or something on foot: She started to leave, and Smith ran after her. ► trail to follow a short distance behind someone, often because you do not want to walk with him or her: Kenny walked down the block with his little brother trailing behind him. ► tail informal to secretly watch and follow someone such as a criminal: Police have been tailing the drug dealer for weeks. ► track to search for a person or animal by following a smell or marks on the ground: The police used dogs to track the missing girl. ► stalk to follow a person or animal quietly in order to catch, attack, or kill him, her, or it. You can also use stalk to mean to follow and watch someone a lot, in a way that is very annoying or frightening: The tiger was stalking its prey. One of the singer’s fans was arrested for stalking her. ► hunt to follow an animal in order to catch and kill it: In the book, Captain Ahab hunts the white whale called Moby Dick. 1 BE LOSING [intransitive, transitive] to be losing in a game, competition, or election: Nelson is trailing in the polls.trail (somebody) by something The Suns trail the Spurs by two games in the playoffs.trail behind He was trailing behind the other competitors.2PULL BEHIND [intransitive, transitive] if something trails behind you, or if you trail it behind you, it gets pulled behind you as you move along: trail across/in/through etc. Her skirt was trailing along in the mud.trail something in/on/through something I moved around the kitchen trailing the phone cord behind me.3WALK BEHIND somebody [intransitive always + adv./prep.] to walk slowly behind someone or go somewhere after someone, especially in a slow or bored way: trail along/behind/around She trailed lazily behind the others.► see thesaurus at follow4TRY TO FOLLOW somebody/something [transitive] to follow someone or something in order to catch or see him, her, or it: Photographers trailed her wherever she went.5LEAVE something BEHIND YOU [transitive] to leave a line of a substance or a sign of movement behind you as you move along: The plane was trailing smoke before it crashed.[Origin: 1300–1400 Old French trailler to pull after you, tow, from Latin tragula sledge, net for pulling] → see also trailertrail away/off phrasal verb if someone’s voice or a sound trails away or off, it becomes gradually quieter and then stops: Jerry’s voice trailed off before he finished the thought. |