trail
/tɹeɪl/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.45 in modern English
5
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
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.
Transitive verb
verb
To be losing, to be behind in a competition.
Example Sentences
- "The hunters trailed their prey deep into the woods."
- "Nine months before she was taken in October 1994, Jodi was out jogging in Mason City before realizing she was being trailed. She noted the stalker was driving a black truck and reported the matter to the authorities."
- "You'll get your coat all muddy if you trail it around like that."
- "Our little life is but a gust That bends the branches of thy tree, And trails its blossoms in the dust!"
- ""I saw your brother—I saw your brother," he said, nodding his head, as Archer lagged past him, trailing his spade, and scowling at the old gentleman in spectacles."
- "He walked into the house, soaking wet, and trailed water all over the place."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ-der.? Latin trahō Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-trom Proto-Indo-European *-tlom, *-dʰlom Latin -ula Latin trāgula Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Vulgar Latin *tragulāre Old French traillerbor. Middle English trailen English trail 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”).