What does "trail" mean?
Trail: To draw or drag, as along the ground. And hung his head, and trailed his legs along. Dryden. They shall not trail me through their streets Like a wild beast. Milton. Long behind he trails his pompous robe. Pope.
Additional senses
- 2.(Mil.) To carry, as a firearm, with the breech near the ground and the upper part inclined forward, the piece being held by the right hand near the middle.
- 3.To tread down, as grass, by walking through it; to lay flat. Longfellow.
- 4.To take advantage of the ignorance of; to impose upon. [Prov. Eng.] I presently perceived she was (what is vernacularly termed) trailing Mrs. Dent; that is, playing on her ignorance. C. Bronte.
- 5.To be drawn out in length; to follow after. When his brother saw the red blood trail. Spenser.
- 6.To grow to great length, especially when slender and creeping upon the ground, as a plant; to run or climb.
- 7.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.
- 8.A footpath or road track through a wilderness or wild region; as, an Indian trail over the plains.
- 9.Anything drawn out to a length; as, the trail of a meteor; a trail of smoke. When lightning shoots in glittering trails along. Rowe.
- 10.Anything drawn behind in long undulations; a train. "A radiant trail of hair." Pope.
- 11.Anything drawn along, as a vehicle. [Obs.]
- 12.A frame for trailing plants; a trellis. [Obs.]
- 13.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.
- 14.(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.
- 15.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.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
- Canonical URL: https://worddirectanswers.com/answers/what-does-trail-mean
- Steward: Jason Burns
- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00