1
- a mark or a series of signs or objects left behind by the passage of someone or something足迹, 痕迹, 踪迹：
a trail of blood on the grass.
草上的血痕。
1.1
- a track or scent used in following someone or hunting an animal（跟踪某人的）踪迹; （追踪动物的）臭迹：
police followed his trail to Dorset.
警察跟踪他到了多塞特。
1.2
- a part, typically long and thin, stretching behind or hanging down from something（尤指细长）一缕, 一串：
smoke trails
烟缕
trails of ivy.
常青藤串。
1.3
- a line of people or things following behind each other人或物排成的长队：
we drove down in a trail of tourist cars.
我们随着游客车流一路开车下来了。
2
- a beaten path through rough country such as a wood or moor（荒野）小路, （树林、沼泽中踩出来的）小道, 小径。
2.1
- a route planned or followed for a particular purpose特定路线, 路径：
the tourist trail.
旅游路线。
2.2
- （亦作ski trail）N. Amer. a downhill ski run or cross-country ski route〈北美〉滑雪坡, 滑雪道, 越野滑雪路线。
4
- the rear end of a gun carriage, resting or sliding on the ground when the gun is unlimbered（炮架的）架尾。
1
- with adverbial draw or be drawn along the ground or other surface behind someone or something拖, 拉：
with obj. Alex trailed a hand through the clear water亚历克斯伸出一只手在清澈的水中划过
no obj. her robe trailed along the ground.她的长袍拖在地上。
1.1
- no obj.(typically of a plant) grow or hang over the edge of something or along the ground（尤指植物）蔓生, 蔓延：
the roses grew wild, their stems trailing over the banks.
玫瑰一阵疯长, 茎蔓延到了堤上。
1.2
- with obj. follow (a person or animal), typically by using marks, signs, or scent left behind（尤指根据痕迹、气味）追踪（人, 动物）。
1.3
- no obj. be losing to an opponent in a game or contest（在游戏、比赛中）落后：
with complement the defending champions were trailing 10-5 at half-time.冠军卫冕队在半场时, 以 10比5 落后。
2
- no obj., with adverbial of direction walk or move slowly or wearily拖沓行走; 慢吞吞地走, 没精打采地走：
she trailed behind, whimpering at intervals.
她慢吞吞地走在后面, 不时地抽泣。
2.1
- (of the voice or a speaker) fade gradually before stopping（声音, 喇叭）渐弱：
her voice trailed away.
她的声音渐渐地低下去了。
3
- with obj. advertise (something, especially a film or programme) in advance by broadcasting extracts or details事先宣传, 预告（影片、节目等）。
4
- with obj. apply (slip) through a nozzle or spout to decorate ceramic ware喷注（泥釉）。
短语
at the trail
- Military with a rifle hanging balanced in one hand and (in Britain) parallel to the ground【军】取提枪姿势。
trail arms
- Military let a rifle hang in such a way【军】提枪。
trail one's coat
- deliberately provoke a quarrel or fight挑衅, 寻衅滋事。
词源
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.