Tra từ trace - Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

trace AW [trace traces traced tracing] verb, noun BrE [treɪs] NAmE [treɪs]
verb
1. ~ sb/sth (to sth) to find or discover sb/sth by looking carefully for them/it
Syn: track down
• We finally traced him to an address in Chicago.
• I have been unable to trace the letter you mentioned.
2. ~ sth (back) (to sth) to find the origin or cause of sth
• She could trace her family tree back to the 16th century.
• The leak was eventually traced to a broken seal.
•The police traced the call (= used special electronic equipment to find out who made the telephone call) to her ex-husband's number.
3. ~ sth (from sth) (to sth) to describe a process or the development of sth
• Her book traces the town's history from Saxon times to the present day.
4. ~ sth (out) to draw a line or lines on a surface
• She traced a line in the sand.
5. ~ sth to follow the shape or outline of sth
• He traced the route on the map.
•A tear traced a path down her cheek.
6. ~ sth to copy a map, drawing, etc. by drawing on transparent paper (= ↑tracing paper ) placed over it
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
n. senses 1 to 3 and v. Middle English ‘path that someone or something takes’ Old French trace tracier Latin tractus ‘drawing, draught’ trahere ‘draw, pull’ n. sense 4 Middle English Old French trais trait Latin tractus ‘drawing, draught’ trahere ‘draw, pull’

Example Bank:
•Police have been unable to trace her movements during her final days.
•She lightly traced the outline of his face with her finger.
•The book traces the history of the game back to an incident in 1863.
•The origins of the custom are difficult to trace.
•The stolen paintings have been successfully traced to a London warehouse.
•Words have over the centuries acquired meanings not easily traced in dictionaries.
•Police are anxious to trace the owners of a car parked near the scene.
•We have not been able to trace the original letter.

noun
1. countable, uncountable a mark, an object or a sign that shows that sb/sth existed or was present
• It's exciting to discover traces of earlier civilizations.
• Police searched the area but found no trace of the escaped prisoners.
•Years of living in England had eliminated all trace of her American accent.
•The ship had vanished without (a) trace.
2. countable ~ of sth a very small amount of sth
• The post-mortem revealed traces of poison in his stomach.
• She spoke without a trace of bitterness.
3. countable (technical)a line or pattern on paper or a screen that shows information that is found by a machine
•The trace showed a normal heart rhythm.
4. countable ~ on sb/sth a search to find out information about the identity of sb/sth, especially what number a telephone call was made from
•The police ran a trace on the call.
•Detectives are doing a trace on the vehicle.
5. countable, usually plural one of the two long pieces of leather that fasten a ↑carriage or ↑cart to the horse that pulls it
see kick over the traces at ↑kick _v.

Word Origin:
n. senses 1 to 3 and v. Middle English ‘path that someone or something takes’ Old French trace tracier Latin tractus ‘drawing, draught’ trahere ‘draw, pull’ n. sense 4 Middle English Old French trais trait Latin tractus ‘drawing, draught’ trahere ‘draw, pull’

Example Bank:
•Kelp is rich in vitamins and trace elements.
•Little trace is left of how Stone Age people lived.
•Remove all traces of rust with a small wire brush.
•The burglar had left several traces of his presence.
•The plane was lost without a trace over the Atlantic.
•The search party had found no trace of the missing climbers.
•The ship seems to have sunk without trace.
•The water was found to contain traces of cocaine.
•There was not the faintest trace of irony in her voice.
•Traces still remain of the long-defunct Surrey Iron Railway.
•Traces still remain of the old brewery.
•a trace of amusement/anxiety/a smile
•He spoke in English with only the trace of an accent.
•It's exciting to discover traces of earlier civilizations.
•The police found traces of blood in the bathroom.
•The ship had vanished without (a) trace.
•There was no trace of a smile on his face.
•There was no trace of humour in his expression.