Definition of trace - Reverso English Dictionary
Verb
1.
trackingfollow the trail or path of something
- The detective traced the suspect's movements.
2.
copyingcopy a design by drawing over its lines
- He traced the map onto a new sheet.
3.
investigationfind or discover through investigation
- Detectives worked hard to trace the suspect's whereabouts..
4.
artdraw or outline with precision
- She learned to trace the alphabet in preschool..
5.
technologyTECH. follow the execution of a program step by stepTECH.
- The developer traced the code to find the bug.
Noun
1.
measurementvery small amount
- There was only a trace of sugar left in the jar..
2.
scienceTECH. line or mark made by a recording instrumentTECH.
- The seismograph showed a trace of the earthquake.
3.
technologyTECH. conductive pathway on a circuit boardTECH.
- The engineer examined the trace for any breaks.
4.
navigationpath or track made by repeated use
- The hikers followed the trace through the forest.
5.
mathematicsTECH. the sum of diagonal elements in a matrixTECH.
- Calculating the trace of the matrix was straightforward.
Images of trace
line or mark made by a recording instrument 
conductive pathway on a circuit board 
path or track made by repeated use
Expressions with trace
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
draw or sketch something
She traced out the design on paper.
find something or someone after a search
The detective managed to trace down the suspect.
disappearing completely with no evidence left
The thief vanished without a trace.
not leave any evidence of presence or actions
The spy left no trace after the mission.
fail to attract any attention or success
His new book sank without trace after its release.
in a way that leaves no evidence behind
The thief vanished without leaving a trace.
complete lack of any sign or evidence of something
There was no trace of the missing keys anywhere.
find the origin or cause of something
We can trace back the problem to a software bug.
to produce a mark or sign
The artist's brush left a trace on the canvas.
research family history or ancestry
She decided to trace her roots to learn more about her ancestors.
identify family lineage to a specific ancestor
She traced her descent back to a famous explorer.
small amount of element in a metal or substance
The alloy contains a trace element of copper.
monitor and record an item's location and movement
The company uses software to track and trace packages.
vanish completely leaving no evidence
The magician made the rabbit disappear without a trace.
fail suddenly and completely
The new product sank without a trace after its launch.
disappear completely leaving no evidence
The magician made the rabbit vanish without a trace.
record of past experiences stored in the brain
The memory trace of her first day at school remained vivid.
very small physical material used to link people or places to events
Investigators found trace evidence on the jacket linking him to the burglary.
vascular tissue extension from stem to leaf
The leaf trace is visible in the cross-section of the stem.
very tiny quantity of a substance that can still be detected
Tests found a trace amount of pesticide on the imported fruit.
fossil showing organism's activity, not remains
The trace fossil revealed the dinosaur's walking pattern.
software tool showing executed instructions of a program
The developer used a trace program to debug the code.
wheel used to trace lines on surfaces
The engineer used a trace wheel for the blueprint.
Origin of trace
Latin, tractus (drawing out)
Terms with trace included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
presence
suggests a slight presence or trace
quantity
small amount or trace of something
disappearance
vanished suddenly and completely without any trace
emphasis
stresses no degree or trace of a quality or feeling
total absence
showing no amount or trace of something at all
destruction
destroy completely leaving no trace
origins
trace the origins or development of something
finance
trace the flow of money to understand a situation
subtlety
faint trace or hint of something
characteristic
the slightest trace of a trait in someone
magic
vanish completely without leaving a trace
disappearance
vanish completely without a trace
disappearance
without leaving a trace
absence
to not leave any trace or evidence
disappearance
disappear completely without a trace
small sign
smallest possible sign or trace of something
destruction
destroy completely, leaving no trace
history
surviving trace of a former era
contamination
trace or touch of something undesirable
suggestion
hint or trace of something
color
trace or hint of something
disappearance
vanished without a trace
total absence
in a way that shows no sign or trace of something
destroyed
completely destroyed, leaving no trace
Examples of trace in a sentence
She traced her family history back to the 1800s. The child traced a star from the worksheet. Trace the outline before adding color. They managed to trace the origin of the outbreak. The historian tried to trace the artifact's history. He used a stencil to trace the design.
The artist began to trace the landscape. She traced the algorithm to understand its flow. The engineer traced the system's operations meticulously. There was a trace of doubt in his voice. The detective found a trace of evidence at the scene. The scientist examined the trace on the graph. A faint trace appeared on the monitor. The technician repaired the broken trace on the board. A trace was added to connect the components. The trace led them to the hidden waterfall. Animals often use the same trace to find water. The trace of this matrix equals zero. Finding the trace required careful addition.
View all translations of trace
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:suivre, trace, ...
- German:verfolgen, kleine Menge, ...
- Italian:seguire, traccia, ...
- Spanish:seguir, pizca, ...
- Portuguese:seguir, vestígio, ...
- Chinese:跟踪, 微量, ...
- Japanese:追跡する, 微量, ...
- Arabic:تَتَبَّعَ, أَثَر, ...
- Hebrew:לַעֲקוֹב אַחֲרֵי, עִקְבָה, ...
- Russian:проследить, след, ...
- Ukrainian:відстежувати, слід, ...
- Hindi:पता लगाना, अल्प मात्रा, ...
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