Search results for 'trace':

trace¹ noun 1 a mark or sign that some person, animal or thing has been in a particular place. 2 a track or footprint. 3 a very small amount that can only just be detected • found traces of cocaine. 4 a tracing. 5 a line marked by the moving pen of a recording instrument. 6 a visible line on a cathode-ray tube showing the path of a moving spot. 7 a supposed physical change in the brain or cells of the nervous system caused by learning. verb (traced, tracing) 1 to track and discover by or as if by following clues, a trail, etc. 2 to follow step by step • trace the development of medicine. 3 to make a copy of (a drawing, design, etc) by covering it with a sheet of semi-transparent paper and drawing over the visible lines. 4 to outline or sketch (an idea, plan, etc). 5 (also trace something back) to investigate it and discover the cause, origin, etc of it, eg in a specified time, person, thing. traceability noun. traceable adj. traceably adverb. traceless adj.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: from French tracier.

trace² noun either of the two ropes, chains or straps that are attached to an animal's collar, etc so that it can pull a carriage, cart, etc. kick over the traces see under kick.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: French, from trais.