Hypertext Webster Gateway: "trail"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Trail \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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Trail \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.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Trail \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.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
trail
n 1: a track or mark left by something that has passed; "there as
a trail of blood"; "a tear left its trail on her cheek"
2: a path or track roughly blazed through wild or hilly country
3: evidence pointing to a possible solution; "the police are
following a promising lead"; "the trail led straight to
the perpetrator" [syn: {lead}, {track}]
v 1: to lag or linger behind: "But in so many other areas we
still are dragging." [syn: {drag}, {get behind}, {hang
back}, {drop behind}]
2: go after with the intent to catch [syn: {chase}, {chase
after}, {tail}, {tag}, {dog}, {go after}, {track}]
3: drag along, either literally or metaphorically, as in one's
wake [syn: {entrain}]
4: to walk or proceed draggingly, slowly: "Snow buried the
streets and covered the slanting rooftops, as John trudged
toward St. Peter's." [syn: {trudge}, {shack}]
5: drag heavily or wearily, as of the body
6: drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground;
"The toddler was trailing his pants" [syn: {train}]
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