Nearby Words
noun
1.
a surviving mark, sign, or evidence of the former existence, influence, or action of some agent or event; vestige: traces of an advanced civilization among the ruins.
2.
a barely discernible indication or evidence of some quantity, quality, characteristic, expression, etc.: a trace of anger in his tone.
3.
an extremely small amount of some chemical component: a trace of copper in its composition.
4.
traces, the series of footprints left by an animal.
5.
EXPANDthe track left by the passage of a person, animal, or object: the trace of her skates on the ice.
6.
Meteorology. precipitation of less than 0.005 inches (0.127 mm).
7.
a trail or path, especially through wild or open territory, made by the passage of people, animals, or vehicles.
8.
9.
a tracing, drawing, or sketch of something.
10.
a lightly drawn line, as the record drawn by a self-registering instrument.
11.
Mathematics.
a.
the intersection of two planes, or of a plane and a surface.
b.
the sum of the elements along the principal diagonal of a square matrix.
c.
the geometric locus of an equation.
12.
the visible line or lines produced on the screen of a cathode-ray tube by the deflection of the electron beam.
13.
14.
COLLAPSEObsolete. a footprint.
verb (used with object)
15.
to follow the footprints, track, or traces of.
16.
to follow, make out, or determine the course or line of, especially by going backward from the latest evidence, nearest existence, etc.: to trace one's ancestry to the Pilgrims.
17.
to follow (footprints, evidence, the history or course of something, etc.).
18.
to follow the course, development, or history of: to trace a political movement.
19.
EXPANDto ascertain by investigation; find out; discover: The police were unable to trace his whereabouts.
20.
to draw (a line, outline, figure, etc.).
21.
to make a plan, diagram, or map of.
22.
to copy (a drawing, plan, etc.) by following the lines of the original on a superimposed transparent sheet.
23.
to mark or ornament with lines, figures, etc.
24.
to make an impression or imprinting of (a design, pattern, etc.).
25.
(of a self-registering instrument) to print in a curved, broken, or wavy-lined manner.
26.
COLLAPSEto put down in writing.
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Traced
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
verb (used without object)
27.
to go back in history, ancestry, or origin; date back in time: Her family traces back to Paul revere.
28.
to follow a course, trail, etc.; make one's way.
29.
(of a self-registering instrument) to print a record in a curved, broken, or wavy-lined manner.
Origin:
1250–1300; late Middle English tracen, Middle English: to make one's way, proceed < Middle French tracier < Vulgar Latin *tractiāre, derivative of Latin tractus, past participle of trahere to draw, drag; (noun) Middle English: orig., way, course, line of footprints < Old French, derivative of tracier
1250–1300; late Middle English tracen, Middle English: to make one's way, proceed < Middle French tracier < Vulgar Latin *tractiāre, derivative of Latin tractus, past participle of trahere to draw, drag; (noun) Middle English: orig., way, course, line of footprints < Old French, derivative of tracier
Related forms
un·traced, adjective
Synonyms
1. Trace, vestige agree in denoting marks or signs of something, usually of the past. Trace, the broader term, denotes any mark or slight indication of something past or present: a trace of ammonia in water. Vestige is more limited and refers to some slight, though actual, remains of something that no longer exists: vestiges of one's former wealth. 2. hint, suggestion, taste, touch. 5. spoor, trail, record. 15. trail.
1. Trace, vestige agree in denoting marks or signs of something, usually of the past. Trace, the broader term, denotes any mark or slight indication of something past or present: a trace of ammonia in water. Vestige is more limited and refers to some slight, though actual, remains of something that no longer exists: vestiges of one's former wealth. 2. hint, suggestion, taste, touch. 5. spoor, trail, record. 15. trail.
Antonyms
3. abundance, plethora.
3. abundance, plethora.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Link To Traced
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
trace
"straps or chains by which an animal pulls a vehicle," c.1300, from earlier collective plural trays, from O.Fr. traiz, pl. of trait "strap for harnessing, act of drawing," from L. tractus "a drawing, track," from stem of trahere "to pull, draw" (see tract (1)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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