trail
To follow behind; to tailTo follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something).
» Where does this trail go to?
Meaning
13 senses(transitive)To follow behind (someone or something); to tail (someone or something).
The hunters trailed their prey deep into the woods.
folgen, verfolgen, nachstellen
идти по следуidti po sledu, высле́живатьvysléživatʹ, вы́следитьvýsleditʹ
переслідуватиperesliduvaty
to lag or linger behind
(transitive)To drag (something) behind on the ground.
You'll get your coat all muddy if you trail it around like that.
hang down so as to drag along the ground
(transitive)To leave (a trail of).
He walked into the house, soaking wet, and trailed water all over the place.
zurücklassen, eine Spur hinter sich lassen
(transitive)To show a trailer of (a film, TV show etc.); to release or publish a preview of (a report etc.) in advance of the full publication.
His new film was trailed on TV last night.
There were no surprises in this morning's much-trailed budget statement.
(intransitive)To hang or drag loosely behind; to move with a slow sweeping motion.
The bride's long dress trailed behind her as she walked down the aisle.
Her curly hair trailed along her shoulders and down her back.
drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground
(intransitive)To run or climb like certain plants.
(intransitive)To drag oneself lazily or reluctantly along.
Our parents marched to church and we trailed behind.
To be losing, to be behind in a competition.
To carry (a firearm) with the breech near the ground and the upper part inclined forward, the piece being held by the right hand near the middle.
To create a trail in.
To travel by following or creating trails.
To transport (livestock) by herding it along a trail.
Examples
420 sentencesWhere does this trail go to?
Tom made a trail for us.
The trail was not clearly marked.
Where does this trail go?
deWohin führt dieser Weg?
The trail is clearly marked.
ruТропа чётко обозначена.
Translations
8 languagesBy meaning 2
By meaning 2
By meaning 3
Origin
From Middle English trailen, from Old French trailler (“to tow; pick up the scent of a quaFrom 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”).
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
trails, trailing, trailed, trailedSynonyms
15 synonyms- drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground:train
- move, proceed, or walk draggingly or slowly:shack
- to lag or linger behind:dragget behindhang backdrop behinddrop back
- go after with the intent to catch:chasechase aftertailtaggive chasedoggo aftertrack
Word family
7 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle