trace

Noun · Verb
Synonyms: hintsuggestionvestigetinctureshadowtouchghosttracingfollowdrawlinedescribe

WordNet 3.0

Noun (6)

  1. a just detectable amount“he speaks French with a trace of an accent”Synonyms: hintsuggestion
  2. an indication that something has been present“there wasn't a trace of evidence for the claim”“a tincture of condescension”Synonyms: vestigetinctureshadow
  3. a suggestion of some quality“there was a touch of sarcasm in his tone”“he detected a ghost of a smile on her face”Synonyms: touchghost
  4. a drawing created by superimposing a semitransparent sheet of paper on the original image and copying on it the lines of the original imageSynonyms: tracing
  5. either of two lines that connect a horse's harness to a wagon or other vehicle or to a whiffletree
  6. a visible mark (as a footprint) left by the passage of person or animal or vehicle

Verb (8)

  1. follow, discover, or ascertain the course of development of something“We must follow closely the economic development is Cuba" ”“trace the student's progress”Synonyms: follow
  2. make a mark or lines on a surface“draw a line”“trace the outline of a figure in the sand”Synonyms: drawlinedescribedelineate
  3. to go back over again“we retraced the route we took last summer”“trace your path”Synonyms: retrace
  4. pursue or chase relentlessly“The hunters traced the deer into the woods”“the detectives hounded the suspect until they found him”Synonyms: houndhunt
  5. discover traces of“She traced the circumstances of her birth”
  6. make one's course or travel along a path; travel or pass over, around, or along“The children traced along the edge of the dark forest”“The women traced the pasture”
  7. copy by following the lines of the original drawing on a transparent sheet placed upon it; make a tracing of“trace a design”“trace a pattern”
  8. read with difficulty“Can you decipher this letter?”“The archeologist traced the hieroglyphs”Synonyms: decipher
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Trace \Trace\, n. [F. trais. pl. of trait. See Trait.]

1.One of two straps, chains, or ropes of a harness, extending from the collar or breastplate to a whiffletree attached to a vehicle or thing to be drawn; a tug. [1913 Webster]

2.(Mech.) A connecting bar or rod, pivoted at each end to the end of another piece, for transmitting motion, esp. from one plane to another; specif., such a piece in an organ-stop action to transmit motion from the trundle to the lever actuating the stop slider. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Trace \Trace\, n. [F. trace. See Trace, v. t. ]

1.A mark left by anything passing; a track; a path; a course; a footprint; a vestige; as, the trace of a carriage or sled; the trace of a deer; a sinuous trace. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2.(Chem. & Min.) A very small quantity of an element or compound in a given substance, especially when so small that the amount is not quantitatively determined in an analysis; -- hence, in stating an analysis, often contracted to tr. [1913 Webster]

3.A mark, impression, or visible appearance of anything left when the thing itself no longer exists; remains; token; vestige. [1913 Webster]

The shady empire shall retain no trace Of war or blood, but in the sylvan chase.— Pope.[1913 Webster]

4.(Descriptive Geom. & Persp.) The intersection of a plane of projection, or an original plane, with a coordinate plane. [1913 Webster]

5.(Fort.) The ground plan of a work or works. [1913 Webster]

Syn.-Vestige; mark; token. See Vestige. [1913 Webster]

Trace \Trace\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. traced; p. pr. & vb. n. tracing.] [OF. tracier, F. tracer, from (assumed) LL. tractiare, fr.L. tractus, p. p. of trahere to draw. Cf. Abstract, Attract, Contract, Portratt, Tract, Trail, Train, Treat. ]

1.To mark out; to draw or delineate with marks; especially, to copy, as a drawing or engraving, by following the lines and marking them on a sheet superimposed, through which they appear; as, to trace a figure or an outline; a traced drawing. [1913 Webster]

Some faintly traced features or outline of the mother and the child, slowly lading into the twilight of the woods.— Hawthorne.[1913 Webster]

2.To follow by some mark that has been left by a person or thing which has preceded; to follow by footsteps, tracks, or tokens. --Cowper. [1913 Webster]

You may trace the deluge quite round the globe.— T. Burnet.[1913 Webster]
I feel thy power . . . to trace the ways Of highest agents.— Milton.[1913 Webster]

3.Hence, to follow the trace or track of. [1913 Webster]

How all the way the prince on footpace traced.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]

4.To copy; to imitate. [1913 Webster]

That servile path thou nobly dost decline, Of tracing word, and line by line.— Denham.[1913 Webster]

5.To walk over; to pass through; to traverse. [1913 Webster]

We do tracethis alley up and down.— Shak.[1913 Webster]
Trace \Trace\, v. i. To walk; to go; to travel. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Not wont on foot with heavy arms to trace. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

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