trace
trace — verb
1. to locate a missing person, animal, or object by following clues or signs that i
to locate a missing person, animal, or object by following clues or signs that indicate where they have gone
The police used satellite images to trace the missing boat in the Pacific Ocean.
trace + missing + location using technology
After months of searching, Anong traced her lost documents to a storage unit across town.
trace + object + to + location
The rescue team traced the hikers through the forest using their mobile phone signals.
Nila traced the dog's owner by checking the microchip at the vet clinic.
- trace a missing person
- trace someone to a place
- trace the source of
- lose
to be unable to find someone or something
Grammar Patterns
trace + object + to/in/through + location
Usage Note
Object can be a person, animal, or physical object. Often used with a location phrase introduced by to, in, or through.
Common Mistakes
2. to discover where something began or what caused it, usually by working backward
to discover where something began or what caused it, usually by working backwards through the evidence
Health officials traced the outbreak of the illness to contaminated water from an old well.
trace + event + to + cause
The teacher helped students trace the argument to a simple misunderstanding about homework.
Walid traced the strange noise to a loose pipe behind the wall in the kitchen.
Investigators traced the anonymous letter back to a disgruntled former employee of the company.
trace + object + back to + person
- trace the origin of
- trace something back to
- trace the cause of
- identify the source
slightly more formal; often used in scientific or technical contexts
- pinpoint
suggests greater precision; used for exact locations or moments
Grammar Patterns
trace + object + to + origin
trace + that-clause
Usage Note
Commonly followed by the preposition to or the phrasal combination back to. The object is typically an event, a problem, or a physical phenomenon.
3. to find the underlying causes of something by studying how it has changed and de
to find the underlying causes of something by studying how it has changed and developed over a period of time
The study traces the city's growth to the opening of a new railway line in 1920.
trace + development + to + historical cause
Researchers traced the company's success to a clever decision made by the founder in 2005.
The documentary traces the current conflict to political changes that began fifty years ago.
By examining old letters, historians traced the wealth to the silk trade in the 1800s.
- trace the roots of
- trace the origins of
- determine the origins of
more formal; emphasises the result rather than the investigative process
Grammar Patterns
trace + object + to + cause through historical study
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 4 (DESCRIBE DEVELOPMENT): sense 3 focuses on finding causes by examining development, while sense 4 simply describes the development itself without necessarily identifying causes.
4. to describe or explain the sequence of events or stages through which something
to describe or explain the sequence of events or stages through which something has progressed over time
The book traces the history of democracy from ancient Greece to modern parliamentary systems.
trace the history of [topic] from [start] to [end]
Otis traced the development of jazz music through interviews with thirty different musicians.
The report traces women's progress in higher education in Japan over the past century.
Professor Chen traced Chinese writing from oracle bones to digital fonts.
trace the evolution of [topic] through time
- trace the development of
- trace the history of
- trace the progress of
- trace the evolution of
Grammar Patterns
trace + the development/history/progress of + topic
Usage Note
Commonly appears in academic and non-fiction writing. Subject is often a book, report, lecture, or documentary. The focus is on description, not on discovering causes.
Common Mistakes
5. to reproduce an existing picture or design by laying a thin see-through sheet on
to reproduce an existing picture or design by laying a thin see-through sheet on top of it and following the visible lines with a writing tool
Ryo traced the outline of a leaf onto paper using thin tracing paper.
trace + outline + onto + paper using tracing paper
The art student traced the map before adding place names with colored pencils.
Benjamin traced his favourite cartoon character from a comic book onto his sketchpad.
The children traced animal shapes onto fabric for their craft project at school.
- trace a drawing
- trace onto paper
- trace the outline of
- copy
more general; does not specify the tracing-paper technique
Grammar Patterns
trace + object + onto + surface
trace + object + with + tool
Usage Note
In digital contexts, trace can also mean "to use a computer to draw over an imported image" using image-editing software.
6. to draw the outer shape or boundary of something by moving a finger, pen, or oth
to draw the outer shape or boundary of something by moving a finger, pen, or other object along its edges or across a surface
Rachid traced a heart in the sand with a stick and smiled at his daughter.
trace + shape + in + surface with + tool
With her finger, Amira traced the outline of a mountain on the old paper map.
trace + outline + on + surface
The child traced circles in the air while pretending to be a magician.
Pedro traced a fish shape on the foggy bus window during the ride home.
- trace a shape
- trace the outline of
- trace lines on
Grammar Patterns
trace + shape/outline + on/with + surface/tool
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 5 (COPY BY DRAWING): sense 6 involves creating an original outline freehand, not copying an existing image through transparent paper.
7. to follow a long, narrow route or path across a landscape, especially when descr
to follow a long, narrow route or path across a landscape, especially when describing the direction or shape of a road, river, or boundary
The ancient road traces the coastline for almost two hundred kilometres along the Mediterranean.
trace + route + for distance along landmark
A narrow path traces the cliff edge and leads to a hidden beach below.
The river traces a winding course through the valley before reaching the sea.
A small train line traces the border and stops at six villages along the way.
- trace the coast
- trace the border
- trace a path
- trace a route
Grammar Patterns
trace + path/route + across/through/along + area
Usage Note
This sense is almost exclusively used with geographical features (rivers, roads, borders, paths) as the object. The subject is typically a natural feature or infrastructure.
trace back to
phrasal verbto find the original source or cause of something by examining the chain of events that led to it
The tradition of giving gifts at New Year can be traced back to ancient Chinese customs.
Her love of cooking traces back to afternoons spent in her grandmother's kitchen as a small child.
trace — noun
1. a small physical sign or mark that shows that someone or something was present i
a small physical sign or mark that shows that someone or something was present in a place, or that a particular event happened there
The archaeologists found traces of a Roman settlement beneath the car park near the river.
traces of [past settlement/habitation]
There was no trace of the stolen painting anywhere in the warehouse.
no trace of [lost/missing thing]
The fresh snow preserved traces of animal footprints from the night before in the garden.
Detectives found traces of red paint on the suspect's shoes near the door.
The old house showed no trace of the fire that damaged it years ago.
- traces of blood
- traces of paint
- no trace of
- disappear without a trace
Grammar Patterns
traces of + noun
a trace of + noun
no trace of + noun
Usage Note
Common in the phrase no trace of to indicate that something has completely disappeared or cannot be found.
Common Mistakes
2. a record or report showing the route that an electronic message, phone call, or
a record or report showing the route that an electronic message, phone call, or online search has taken, or the act of finding this information
The phone company provided a trace of calls made from the suspect's number that night.
phone trace / call trace
The email trace showed the message passed through servers in three different countries.
Saira requested a trace of her parcel's delivery route after it failed to arrive.
The network administrator ran a trace to find where the security breach came from.
run a trace
- phone trace
- email trace
- call trace
- run a trace
- request a trace
- record
more general; does not specifically relate to electronic tracking
Grammar Patterns
a trace of + electronic communication
phone trace
email trace
Usage Note
In everyday conversation, trace in this sense is most commonly used in the phrases phone trace and email trace. The verb form I'll trace the call is equally common.
3. an extremely small quantity of something, especially a substance, a quality, or
an extremely small quantity of something, especially a substance, a quality, or an emotion, that is just barely noticeable or detectable
The sauce had a trace of chili that gave it a gentle warmth.
a trace of [flavour/ingredient]
There was a trace of amusement in her voice as she pretended to be angry.
Laboratory tests detected traces of dangerous chemicals in the drinking water near the old factory.
Joshua spoke without a trace of nervousness during his wedding speech.
without a trace of [emotion]
A trace of sadness remained in her eyes after the conversation about her childhood.
- a trace of
- traces of
- without a trace of
- lot
a large amount
Grammar Patterns
a trace of + noun
traces of + noun
without a trace of + noun
Usage Note
Often used in the negative construction without a trace of to emphasise that a quality is completely absent. Can refer to physical substances (traces of poison) or abstract qualities (a trace of doubt).
Common Mistakes
to vanish completely, leaving no evidence or sign of where you have gone or what has happened
The small plane disappeared without a trace over the Pacific Ocean in 1950.
The old traditions have almost disappeared without a trace in the modern city.
kick over the traces
idiomto start behaving in a way that is not controlled or accepted by others, especially by breaking rules or rejecting authority
After years of following the rules at work, Eli decided to kick over the traces and start his own business.
The youngest daughter kicked over the traces by travelling around the world instead of getting married.
Word family
- traceableadjectiveB2
- tracernounC1
- tracingnounB1
- traceabilitynounC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All four verbs involve finding or moving after someone or something, but they differ in method and emphasis. Trace emphasises following clues or signs to find something that is lost or hidden — it is often detective-like and can apply to both physical objects and abstract origins. Track suggests following a clear physical trail, such as footprints or GPS signals, and is common in wildlife or technology contexts. Trail implies following behind someone at a distance, often secretly or slowly, and carries a sense of pursuit over time. Follow is the most general word, meaning simply to go after someone or something, whether physically or figuratively. For example: 'The detective traced the stolen painting to a gallery in Paris.' 'Scientists track the movements of polar bears using GPS collars.' 'The spy trailed the diplomat for three days.' 'Please follow me to the meeting room.'
Common collocations
Etymology
Trace entered English in the late 14th century as a verb meaning 'to follow the outline of something.' It came from Old French tracier ('to go over, follow, pursue'), which in turn came from Vulgar Latin *tractiare ('to trace, draw'), based on Latin tractus ('a drawing, track, line') — the past participle of trahere ('to pull, draw'). The noun form appeared around the same time, meaning 'a path or track left by something that has passed.' The meaning 'a very small amount' developed in the early 18th century, reflecting the idea of something so slight it is barely 'drawn' or perceptible.