trace
verb[T]
uk/treɪs/us/treɪs/traceverb[T](FIND)
C1
tofindsomeone or something that waslost:
找到，查出，发现Thepolicearetryingto trace themotherof anewbornbabyfoundabandonedoutsideahospital.警察试图查出那位把新生婴儿抛弃在医院外面的母亲。
Attempts to tracethewhereaboutsofa manseenleavingthesceneof thecrimehave sofarbeenunsuccessful.有人曾看到一名男子离开犯罪现场，但迄今为止追查该男子下落的种种努力一无所获。
Theirmissingdaughterwasfinallytracedto(=foundin)Manchester.他们失踪的女儿最终在曼彻斯特找到了。
to find someone or something
- findI've looked everywhere for my keys but can't find them.
- discoverThe missing wallet was discovered under the chair.
- locatePolice are still trying to locate the suspect.
- uncoverReporters uncovered evidence of corruption.
- unearthOur investigation unearthed mountains of evidence that implicated the city.
- come acrossWe came across a lovely little restaurant in the village.
C1
tofindtheoriginof something:
追查…的来源Thephonecompanywasunableto trace thecall.电话公司查不出这个电话来自何处。
No one hasyetbeenableto trace thesourceof therumour.还没有人能够查出谣言的出处。
todiscoverthecausesororiginsof something byexaminingthe way in which it hasdeveloped:
（根据事物的发展方式）查明…的起因（或源头），追溯Theoutbreakoffoodpoisoningwas tracedtosomecontaminatedshellfish.经调查，这次食物中毒源于一些受到污染的贝类。
She has traced herfamilyhistoryback tothe seventeenthcentury.她把家族历史追溯到了十七世纪。
Thepracticeof givingeggsatEastercan be tracedback to(= firsthappenedin)festivalsinancientChina.复活节送彩蛋的习俗可追溯至中国古代的节庆活动。
todescribethe way in which something hasdeveloped:
描绘…的发展方式Thefilmtraces theeventsleadingup to theRussianRevolutionin 1917.该影片描述了导致1917年俄国革命爆发的一系列事件。
- Thecityof Tours can traceitsrootsback toRomantimes.
- The newsystemcan trace aphonecallin afractionof a second.
- He has traced hisfamilyback toNormantimes.
- We aretryingto trace everyone whospoketo her thatday.
- Policearetryingto trace a man inconnectionwith themurder.
Finding and discovering
- a fishing expeditionidiom
- ascertain
- break (fresh/new) groundidiom
- breakthrough
- bringsomethingto lightidiom
- catchsomeonered-handedidiom
- finding
- flushsomeone/somethingout
- fossick
- found
- pinpoint
- pull
- putsomeoneontosomething
- putyourfinger onsomethingidiom
- rake
- rakesomethingout
- red-handed
- sniff
- suss
- uncover
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Defining & explaining
traceverb[T](DRAW)
tocopyadrawingorpattern, etc. bydrawingoveritslinesthrough athinpieceoftransparentpaper:
（把透明纸覆盖在底样上）描摹Did youdrawthispictureyourself, or did you trace it?这幅画是你自己画的，还是你描摹的？
Shelearnedto write hernameby tracingouttheletters.她通过描摹字母学会了写自己的名字。
todrawashapebyshowingthemainorouterlines:
勾画出…的轮廓Thechildwas tracingpatternsin/onthesandwith astick.孩子用棍子在沙子上勾画出一个个图案。
Painting, drawing & printing
- airbrush
- brushstroke
- brushwork
- chiaroscuro
- coloursomethingin
- describe
- engraving
- etching
- face painting
- foreshorten
- foreshortened
- illustrate
- painting by numbersidiom
- pentimento
- picturize
- re-ink
- redraw
- shade
- sketch
- stroke
trace
noun
uk/treɪs/us/treɪs/tracenoun(SIGN/RECORD)
B2[CorU]
asignthat something hashappenedorexisted:
痕迹，踪迹Heattemptedtocoverup all the tracesofhiscrime.他试图掩盖他犯罪的蛛丝马迹。
When shemovedout, sheleftno traceofhaving been there.她搬走后，没有留下任何在那儿住过的痕迹。
Mywallethas beenmissingfor severaldaysand I can'tfindany traceofit.我的钱包不见好几天了，而我就是找不到它。
Heseemsto havevanishedwithout(a) trace(= no oneknowswhere he is).他似乎已经消失得无影无踪了。
[C]
anactoffindinginformationabout somethingelectronically, or therecordof theinformationfoundin this way:
（利用电子仪器的）追踪，描记图Thephonecompanyputa trace on thecall.电话公司用电子仪器追踪了这次通话。
- There is no trace oftheircampleft.
- Thefoxesleftno traces.
- Theycoveredup all traces oftheirvisit.
- Thehedgehogatethebreadandmilkbutleftno trace.
- Policecanfindno trace of the man since lastweek.
Showing and demonstrating
- act out
- attest
- bespeak
- betray
- breastbeating
- bring
- define
- demonstrative
- glimmer
- indicate
- masterclass
- point (something/someone) out
- point the wayidiom
- point to/towardssomething
- probatory
- produce
- speak
- visualization
- wear
- whiff
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Communications - general words
tracenoun(SLIGHT AMOUNT)
[C]
a veryslightamount:
微量，少许Tracesofdrugswerefoundin hisblood.在他的血液中发现了少许毒品。
There is just a traceofgreyin hishair.他头发中夹杂着少许白发。
ShespeaksEnglishwithout any traceofanaccent.她讲英语丝毫不带口音。
There was thefaintesttraceofasmileon herlips.她的唇边带着一丝微笑。
"Howwonderful!" she said, without any traceofsarcasm.“多好啊！”她说道，语气中丝毫没有挖苦的意思。
Words meaning small pieces and amounts
- by a noseidiom
- clipping
- crumb
- dab
- dollop
- fraction
- grain
- hint
- oddments
- paring
- peewee
- pinch
- potsherd
- skinny
- spark
- swatch
- tad
- thimbleful
- tidbit
- tiddler