/treɪl; trel/
n
1 mark or sign in the form of a long line left by sth or sb passing by 痕迹; 足迹; 踪迹
*vapour trails, eg those left in the sky by high-flying aircraft 蒸汽尾迹（如飞机在高空飞行留下的）
* The hurricane left a trail of destruction behind it. 飓风过後满目疮痍.
* tourists who leave a trail of litter everywhere they go 一路走一路乱扔垃圾的游客.
2 path, esp through roughcountry 小路（尤指穿过不平坦的郊野的）
*a trail throughthe forest 穿过森林的小路
* a `nature trail 穿过郊野的小路.
3 track or scent followed in hunting （打猎或追踪时搜寻的）痕迹, 臭迹
*The police are on the escaped convict's trail, ie are pursuing him. 警方正在追捕逃犯.
4 (idm 习语) blaze a trail => blaze3. hit the trail => hit1. hot on sb's tracks/trail; hot on the trail => hot.

v
1 [I, Ipr, Ip, Tn, Tn.pr, Tn.p] (cause sth to) be dragged behind （使某物）被拖在後面
*Her long skirt was trailing along/on the floor. 她的长裙拖在地板上.
* a bird trailing a broken wing 耷拉着一个断翅的鸟
* I trailed my hand in the water as the boat drifted along. 小船漂流向前, 我把手伸进水里让它拖着走. =>Usage at pull2 用法见pull2.
2 [Ipr, Ip] ~ along behind (sb/sth), etc walk or move wearily, esp behind or later than others 疲惫地走或磨蹭（尤指跟在或落在後面）
*The tired children trailed along behind their parents. 孩子们累了, 没精打采地跟在父母後面.
* The horse I had backed trailed in last. 我下赌注的那匹马落在後面, 跑了个倒数第一.
* (fig 比喻) This country is still trailing far behind (others) in computer research. 这个国家的计算机研究工作远远落後（他国）.
3 [I, Ipr] ~ (by/in sth) (usu in the continuous tenses 通常用于进行时态) be losing a game or some other contest （在比赛、竞赛等中）输, 失败, 失利
*trailing by two goals to one at half-time 上半场以二比一落後
* The party is trailing badly in the opinion polls. 该党在民意测验中大大失利.
4 [Ipr] (of plants) grow randomly over a surface, downwards or along the ground with long winding stems （指植物）蔓生, 蔓延
*roses trailing over the walls 蔓生在墙上的蔷薇.
5 [Tn, Tn.pr] ~ sb/sth (to sth) follow the trail of sb/sth; track sb/sth 追踪或尾随某人[某事物]
*trail a criminal, a wild animal 追踪罪犯、野兽.
6 (phr v) trail away/off (of sb's speech) gradually become quieter and then stop, esp because of shyness, confusion, etc （指某人说话）声音逐渐减弱到不出声（尤指因害羞、慌乱等所致）.