T" rail` (?). See under T.
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.
Halliwell.
2. 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.
3. (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.
4. To tread down, as grass, by walking through it;
to lay flat. Longfellow.
5. 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.
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.
T" rail` (?). See under T.
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.
Halliwell.
2. 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.
3. (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.
4. To tread down, as grass, by walking through it;
to lay flat. Longfellow.
5. 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.
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.
