trail
trail — noun
1. a narrow unpaved way through a natural area such as a forest, mountain, or count
a narrow unpaved way through a natural area such as a forest, mountain, or countryside, created by repeated walking or made for outdoor activities like hiking, biking, or horse-riding
A steep dirt trail winds up the side of the mountain to a lookout point.
collocation: dirt trail / hiking trail
Rangers built a wooden walkway along the trail to protect the wetland plants.
trail + along: path alongside a natural feature
Eri follows the same forest trail every morning before breakfast.
Camila and her friends walked the coastal trail from the fishing village to the lighthouse.
The trail is clearly marked with painted arrows on the tree trunks.
passive: trail is marked — wayfinding
- hiking trail
- nature trail
- dirt trail
- mountain trail
- bike trail
- follow a trail
- mark a trail
- along the trail
Grammar Patterns
trail + through/across/along [area]
Usage Note
Countable noun. Often combined with the type of surface or purpose: dirt trail, gravel trail, bike trail, hiking trail, nature trail.
Common Mistakes
2. physical marks or scents that a moving person, animal, or object deposits along
physical marks or scents that a moving person, animal, or object deposits along its route, allowing someone to follow and locate them
The tracker found a fresh trail of wolf prints in the soft mud.
trail of + [marks/prints] — describing what is left behind
Sade noticed a trail of breadcrumbs leading from the cupboard to the back door.
A trail of smoke rising from the chimney told Kofi that someone was home.
trail of + [smell/smoke/substance] — visible or scented mark through air
Takeshi followed a trail of wet footprints from the swimming pool to the locker room.
The dog picked up the rabbit's scent trail and dashed into the bushes.
scent trail — animal tracking
- trail of blood
- trail of footprints
- scent trail
- follow a trail
- pick up a trail
- lose the trail
- fresh trail
Grammar Patterns
trail + of [marks/footprints/scent]
Usage Note
Often followed by 'of' + noun describing the physical or chemical trace: trail of blood, trail of footprints, trail of smoke, scent trail. Also common with verbs like 'pick up', 'lose', 'follow'.
Common Mistakes
3. a connected series of facts, clues, or evidence that helps someone find a person
a connected series of facts, clues, or evidence that helps someone find a person or understand what has happened to them
The journalist followed a trail of leaked emails to uncover the corruption scandal.
trail of + [information/evidence] — abstract paper or digital trail
Rohan picked up the trail of his birth mother through online adoption records.
A trail of financial transactions led investigators to the hidden offshore accounts.
trail of + [digital/abstract items] — metaphorical extension
The accountant left a clear trail of fraudulent payments in the company ledgers.
Chidi picked up the trail of his missing uncle through social media posts.
digital trail — online information
- paper trail
- trail of clues
- trail of evidence
- follow the trail
- leave a trail
- digital trail
- audit trail
- paper trail
specifically documents and written records left behind
- clues
individual pieces of evidence; less connected than a trail
- evidence
broader — any fact that supports a conclusion, not necessarily sequential
Grammar Patterns
trail of [information/evidence/clues]
Usage Note
This sense extends the physical trail metaphor to the world of information. Common in crime, journalism, and research contexts. Frequently used with 'follow', 'pick up', 'leave a ... trail'.
4. the process of trying to locate a person or thing by looking at evidence that re
the process of trying to locate a person or thing by looking at evidence that reveals their movements; used in the fixed phrase 'on the trail of' or 'on someone's trail'
The police are on the trail of a gang that stole over two million dollars.
fixed phrase: on the trail of [someone] — searching
Salma has been on the trail of a rare first-edition novel for almost a year.
The hackers covered their tracks well, so investigators are not yet on their trail.
possessive: on [someone's] trail
Animal rights activists are on the trail of an illegal wildlife trader in Southeast Asia.
The detective felt she was finally on the right trail after months of dead ends.
on the right/wrong trail — metaphorical use
- on the trail of
- on someone's trail
- hot on the trail
- on the right trail
- on the wrong trail
- in pursuit of
more formal; often used in police or military contexts
- on the hunt for
more informal and active; suggests energetic searching
- searching for
simpler and more general; does not imply following a specific track
Grammar Patterns
on the trail of [someone/something]
on [someone's] trail
Usage Note
This sense only appears in the fixed expressions 'on the trail of' and 'on someone's trail'. It cannot be used alone as a standalone noun. The preposition 'on' is always required. After 'of', use a noun or noun phrase for the target being sought.
Common Mistakes
blaze a trail
idiomTo be the first person to do something new, so that others can follow.
Dr. Chen blazed a trail in renewable energy research.
Our company blazed a trail by introducing the first smartwatch.
hit the road/trail
idiomTo begin a trip or journey.
We hit the road at dawn to avoid traffic.
After packing, Sara hit the trail for her hike.
Very close to catching or finding someone or something that you have been chasing or looking for.
The police were hot on the thief's trail after the robbery.
Detectives are hot on the trail of the missing painting.
trail — verb
1. to pull something behind yourself so it drags across a surface; or to dangle loo
to pull something behind yourself so it drags across a surface; or to dangle loosely and brush against a surface while attached to a moving person or thing
The little boy trailed a stick in the sand as he walked along the beach.
transitive: trail + object + in/through [surface]
Lauren's long scarf trailed behind her in the wind as she rode her bicycle downhill.
intransitive: scarf + trailed + behind — thing moves freely behind
A thin line of smoke trailed from the candle into the still air.
The bride's white dress trailed across the marble floor as she walked down the aisle.
intransitive: clothing trailing across a surface
A long rope trailed from the back of the truck, whipping in the wind.
- trail behind
- trail along the ground
- trail in the water
- trail through the air
- trail from
Grammar Patterns
trail + object + behind/along
trail + adverb/preposition
trail from/in/through
Usage Note
Can be transitive (someone trails something) or intransitive (something trails behind). The intransitive use often describes hair, clothing, smoke, or ribbons that hang loosely and sweep the ground or flow through the air.
Common Mistakes
2. to proceed at a slow, tired pace, typically because you are exhausted, reluctant
to proceed at a slow, tired pace, typically because you are exhausted, reluctant, or physically less able than your companions
After walking for eight hours, the children trailed behind their parents in silence.
trail behind [someone] — moving slower than others
The injured horse trailed slowly along the fence, favouring its front leg.
David trailed wearily up the stairs after a long day at the hospital.
adverb: trail + wearily/slowly — manner of moving
The old dog trailed after its owner, stopping every few steps to rest.
Lucía always trails behind on long hikes because she stops to photograph wildflowers.
trail behind on [activity] — specific context
- trail behind
- trail slowly
- trail wearily
- trail along
- trail after
Grammar Patterns
trail + adverb/preposition
trail behind [someone]
Usage Note
Intransitive only — you cannot trail someone in this sense. The word describes your own movement, not that of another person. If you trail behind someone, you are moving more slowly than them, not pursuing them.
Common Mistakes
3. to have a lower score, vote count, or position than an opponent in a race, elect
to have a lower score, vote count, or position than an opponent in a race, election, contest, or market competition
The home team trailed by fourteen points with only three minutes left.
trail by + [number/points/margin]
In the latest polls, the challenger is trailing the incumbent by eight percentage points.
Mayumi's company still trails its main competitor in the European smartphone market.
trail + [competitor] + in + [area/market]
The company sales have been trailing the industry average for three quarters.
In the final lap, the runner trailed by less than a second.
trail by + [time margin] — racing context
- trail by
- trail behind
- trail in the polls
- trail in the market
- trail badly
- trail significantly
- lag behind
more general; can be about progress or development, not just scores
- be down by
informal, especially in sports contexts
- fall behind
suggests losing a position you once held
- lead
to be ahead of others in a competition
- be ahead by
to have a higher score or position
Grammar Patterns
trail + by + [number]
trail + behind + [competitor]
Usage Note
Common in sports, politics, and business. 'Trail by (a margin)' states the gap; 'trail behind (someone)' states who is ahead. Can also be used transitively: 'Team A trails Team B by three goals.'
4. to follow the marks, smell, or other signs left by a person or animal in order t
to follow the marks, smell, or other signs left by a person or animal in order to catch them or find out where they have gone; or to follow behind someone without their knowledge
The search dog trailed the missing toddler through the forest for over three hours.
trail + [someone] + through [area] — tracking by scent
Lucía trailed the suspect from the train station to an apartment building across town.
A police helicopter trailed the stolen car along the highway until backup arrived.
vehicle or aircraft trailing a moving target
The biologist trailed the rare snow leopard for weeks using camera traps.
Police trailed the suspect vehicle for several kilometres before making an arrest.
trail + [target] + for + [distance] — surveillance context
- trail a suspect
- trail an animal
- trail through the woods
- trail across the countryside
- trail for miles
Grammar Patterns
trail + [someone/something]
trail + [someone] + through/across + [area]
Usage Note
Transitive only — you trail someone or something. This sense differs from sense 2 (move slowly) in that the focus is on the target being followed rather than the manner of moving. Frequently used in police, military, and wildlife contexts.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- trailernounB1
- trailingadjectiveB2
- trailblazernounC1
- trailblazingadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Trail, path, track, and route all refer to ways of getting from one place to another, but they differ in setting and construction. A trail is typically an unpaved way through a natural environment—a forest, mountain, or countryside—often worn by repeated walking rather than built. A path is the most general term, covering both paved and unpaved ways in natural and urban settings (a garden path, a concrete path through a park). A track suggests a rougher, unmaintained route, often made by vehicles or animals rather than walkers (a dirt track leading to a farm). A route is abstract—it describes the planned journey between two places, not necessarily a physical path on the ground. For example: 'We took a winding trail up the mountain.' / 'A stone path leads through the botanical garden.' / 'The truck bounced along a muddy track.' / 'We mapped out the fastest route on the navigation app.'
Common collocations
Adverbs
- closely
- slowly
- wearily
- behind
- far behind
- badly
- significantly
- hot (on the trail)
Phrases
- on the trail of
- hot on the trail
- pick up the trail
- lose the trail
- leave a trail
- trail of destruction
- paper trail
- audit trail
Etymology
Trail entered English around the 1300s from Old French 'trailler', meaning 'to tow or drag a boat'. That word came from Vulgar Latin 'tragulare', which was based on Latin 'tragula' — a dragnet or sledge pulled along the ground. The noun sense of 'a path through wild country' appeared in the late 1500s, building on the idea of a route formed by dragging or repeated passing. By the 1600s, both the verb meaning 'to follow a scent or track' and the noun meaning 'marks left behind' were well established. The sporting and competition sense of 'lagging behind' developed in the 1800s.