Tra từ trail - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

trail [trail trails trailed trailing] noun, verb BrE [treɪl] NAmE [treɪl]
noun
1. a long line or series of marks that is left by sb/sth
•a trail of blood
•tourists who leave a trail of litter everywhere they go
•The hurricane left a trail of destruction behind it.
2. a track, sign or smell that is left behind and that can be followed, especially in hunting
•The hounds were following the fox's trail.
•The police are still on the trail of the escaped prisoner.
•Fortunately the trail was still warm (= clear and easy to follow).
•The trail had gone cold.
3. a path through the countryside
•a trail through the forest
see also ↑nature trail
4. a route that is followed for a particular purpose
•a tourist trail (= of famous buildings)
•politicians on the campaign trail (= travelling around to attract support)
see blaze a trail at ↑blaze _v., hit the road/trail at ↑hit _v., hot on sb's/sth's tracks/trail at ↑hot _adj.

Word Origin:
Middle English (as a verb): from Old French traillier ‘to tow’, or Middle Low German treilen ‘haul a boat’, based on Latin tragula ‘dragnet’, from trahere ‘to pull’. Compare with ↑trawl. The noun originally denoted the train of a robe, later generalized to denote something trailing.

Example Bank:
•Ants follow a scent trail laid down previously.
•Detectives had found several new clues and were back on the murderer's trail.
•I like to hit the trail early and be finished by eight.
•In 1967 she hit the hippy trail to India.
•The couple laid a false trail to escape the press photographers.
•The dog had picked up the trail of a rabbit.
•The fox had crossed a stream, and the hounds lost the trail.
•The hurricane passed, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.
•The tourists left a trail of empty cans behind them.
•The trail wends its way through dark forests.
•The trail wends its way through leafy woodland and sunny meadows.
•They had to find the kidnappers before the trail went cold.
•This restaurant is off the tourist trail.
•We did the Inca trail.
•A woodland trail leads off to the right.
•Fortunately the trail was still warm.
•The Appalachian Trail runs from Maine to Georgia.
•The Norfolk Coast path is part of a National Trail.
•The hounds were following the fox's trail.
•The trail was covered with deep snow.
•They have made a new nature trail through the woods.
•We set off to walk the trail that winds along the Colorado River.
•a trail of blood/footprints
•tourists who leave a trail of litter everywhere
Derived: ↑trail off

verb
1. transitive, intransitive to pull sth behind sb/sth, usually along the ground; to be pulled along in this way
•~ sth A jeep trailing a cloud of dust was speeding in my direction.
•I trailed my hand in the water as the boat moved along.
•(+ adv./prep.) The bride's dress trailed behind her.
2. intransitive + adv./prep. to walk slowly because you are tired or bored, especially behind sb else
•The kids trailed around after us while we shopped for clothes.
3. intransitive, transitive (used especially in the progressive tenses)to be losing a game or other contest
•United were trailing 2–0 at half-time.
•~ by sth We were trailing by five points.
•~ in sth This country is still trailing badly in scientific research.
•~ sb/sth The Conservatives are trailing Labour in the opinion polls.
4. transitive ~ sb/sth to follow sb/sth by looking for signs that show you where they have been
•The police trailed Dale for days.
•We could smell the scent of a fox as we trailed paw marks through the wood.
5. intransitive to grow or hang downwards over sth or along the ground; to move downwards over sth
•trailing plants
•He had tears trailing down his cheeks.
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
Middle English (as a verb): from Old French traillier ‘to tow’, or Middle Low German treilen ‘haul a boat’, based on Latin tragula ‘dragnet’, from trahere ‘to pull’. Compare with ↑trawl. The noun originally denoted the train of a robe, later generalized to denote something trailing.

Example Bank:
•Don't let the blanket trail on the ground.
•Her scarf was trailing in the mud.
•I trailed wearily after the others.
•Liverpool are now trailing badly in the league.
•They spent their lives trailing around the country.
•They were trailing by 12 points until the last few minutes of the game.
•I spent months trailing from one audition to the next.
•Lazio were trailing to a 47th-minute goal by Roma.
•Sharks were trailing the ship.
•She trailed her hand in the cool water as the boat moved along.
•The UK is trailing in many areas of research.
•The bride's dress trailed behind her.
•The last walkers came trailing down the hill.
•The little boy trailed a dirty old blanket behind him.
•The police trailed Dale for years.
•We walked home in the rain, with the kids trailing along behind.