Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Trail?

\Trail\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Trailed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Trailing}.] [OE. trailen, OF. trailler to trail a deer, or hunt him upon a cold scent, also, to hunt or pursue him with a limehound, F. trailler to trail a fishing line; probably from a derivative of L. trahere to draw; cf. L. traha a drag, sledge, tragula a kind of drag net, a small sledge, Sp. trailla a leash, an instrument for leveling the ground, D. treilen to draw with a rope, to tow, treil a rope for drawing a boat. See {Trace}, v. t.] 1. To hunt by the track; to track.
\Trail\, v. i. 1. To be drawn out in length; to follow after. When his brother saw the red blood trail. --Spenser. 2. To grow to great length, especially when slender and creeping upon the ground, as a plant; to run or climb.
\Trail\, n. 1. A track left by man or beast; a track followed by the hunter; a scent on the ground by the animal pursued; as, a deer trail. They traveled in the bed of the brook, leaving no dangerous trail. --Cooper. How cheerfully on the false trail they cry! --Shak. 2. A footpath or road track through a wilderness or wild region; as, an Indian trail over the plains. 3. Anything drawn out to a length; as, the trail of a meteor; a trail of smoke. When lightning shoots in glittering trails along. --Rowe. 4. Anything drawn behind in long undulations; a train. ``A radiant trail of hair.'' --Pope. 5. Anything drawn along, as a vehicle. [Obs.] 6. A frame for trailing plants; a trellis. [Obs.] 7. The entrails of a fowl, especially of game, as the woodcock, and the like; -- applied also, sometimes, to the entrails of sheep. The woodcock is a favorite with epicures, and served with its trail in, is a delicious dish. --Baird. 8. (Mil.) That part of the stock of a gun carriage which rests on the ground when the piece is unlimbered. See Illust. of {Gun carriage}, under {Gun}. 9. The act of taking advantage of the ignorance of a person; an imposition. [Prov. Eng.] {Trail boards} (Shipbuilding), the carved boards on both sides of the cutwater near the figurehead. {Trail net}, a net that is trailed or drawn behind a boat. --Wright.